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The Tsali Lodge Threatened Species flap set depicts threatened Mammals, Insects, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, and Flora of Western North Carolina. The set was issued throughout 2027 as a fundraiser to subsidize the cost for Scouts to attend the 2027 National Order of the Arrow (NOAC) conference held at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
The green salamander (Aneides aeneus) is a small, fascinating amphibian found in the mountains of western North Carolina. Growing up to five inches long, it has an unmistakable black or dark brown body covered in bright green, lichen-like patches. This unique pattern acts as perfect camouflage, helping the salamander blend in with mossy rocks. Unlike many other salamanders, it is an excellent climber. It has a flattened body and squared-off toes that allow it to squeeze into tight spaces and climb trees or cliff faces.
As a lungless salamander, it does not have lungs and must absorb oxygen directly through its wet skin, making it highly sensitive to its environment. It is a strict habitat specialist, meaning it can only survive in very specific conditions: cool, damp, and shady rock crevices surrounded by mature hardwood forests.
Environmental Threats
Today, the green salamander is listed as a threatened species in North Carolina due to several major challenges:
• Habitat Destruction: Building roads, houses, and tourist areas cuts down old-growth forests. When trees are removed, sunlight reaches the rocks, drying out the moist crevices the salamanders need to breathe and lay eggs.
• Climate Change and Weather: Rising temperatures and severe droughts easily overheat these sensitive creatures. Additionally, extreme weather events like hurricanes trigger catastrophic landslides that completely crush and destroy their rocky homes.
• Disease: Deadly amphibian diseases, such as the chytrid fungus, threaten to wipe out small, isolated populations.
Biologists are currently working hard to study and protect these unique creatures before they disappear. |
