Help Save Our Endangered Tiger Salamanders!
A recent Lassie sighting proved to only be a California Tiger Salamander. Wait a second… what is this “ONLY” krap? Did you know: California tiger salamanders can live up to 12 to 15 years. AND our Sonoma County Community is quite endangered? Some info gleamed from "California Tiger Salamander - A Treatis" By Vern L. Poole follows:
The California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) is a vulnerable amphibian native to Norhten Cali. Vulnerable might be too harsh a word, as they are very sensitive – but anyone who opens their heart these days is QUITE vulnerable – it is 2012.
Previously considered to be a Tiger Salamander subspecies, the California tiger salamander was recently designated a separate species again. What’s this “Again” part you ask? Well the FEDs keep jacking our lovely native Tiger Salamander around – worse then the DMV – and why? I will tell you why, dear friend, it is because they don’t give a rats behind about this living treasure of our amazing Laguna environment.
The Sonoma County Community is endangered – there I said it again.
Lassie (our resident Plesiosaur like creature reminiscent of Nessie) is a bit larger then a tiger Salamander. Not sure HOW they confused the two. The California tiger salamander is a relatively large, secretive amphibian endemic to California. Hey – wouldn’t you be secretive if everyone was trying to run you over? The adults can grow to a length of about 7–8 inches (that is three inches above average).
It has a stocky body and a broad rounded snout. Adults are black with yellow or cream spots; larvae are greenish-grey in color. The California tiger salamander has brown protruding eyes with black pupils to enable it to see oncoming headlights so they can get he hell outta the way of oncoming vehicles on Stony Point Road.
Little is known about their underground life. Adults are known to eat earthworms, snails, insects, fish, and even small mammals, but adult California tiger salamanders eat very little to retain their girlish figures – I mean, everyone is going on and on about how “Stocky” they are. A girl gets tired of hearing this, and eating disorders among ambystomas is rampant.
How can YOU help these lovely creatures out?
1. If it is raining, from late fall to early spring, and you are driving around at night like a fool on Stony Point Road, or Llano, or Todd Road; SLOW THE HELL DOWN PLEASE. This means you.
2. If you keep yer eyes peeled you will see them trying to shag ass across the road – stop and gently pick them up (hopefully they prove to be the nonvenomous kind) and gently place them on the side of the road in the direction in which they were headed – DO NOT set them back on the side from when they had come – only a jerk would do that.
3. Protect our great treasure – the Laguna De Santa Rosa, and support programs like the Laguna Foundation or the Crocodile Abatement Program.
For more info please go to https://grendelgravenstein.com/salamanders.html
