Faced with a predator, a salamander might drop its tail, which wiggles to distract the predator while it scurries away. (The tail gradually regenerates.) If a predator does grab hold of the salamander, slimy and noxious secretions help it escape the predator’s grasp.
Spring Salamander
Gyrinophilus porphyriticus
Fact File
Where to see them: Reptile House
Length: 4.5 to 7 in
Habitat: Woodland brooks and springs
Diet: Spiders, earthworms, snails, insects, and other small invertebrates
Skin Breathing: Without lungs, the semi-aquatic spring salamander takes up oxygen through its permeable skin.
