Conservationists get in the mood for fire salamander season

The German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND) in Saxony has prepared for the start of the fire salamander season. "When the night temperatures climb above 5 degrees and the rain ensures sufficient humidity, the fire salamander team from BUND Saxony will also be gearing up to search for the small black and yellow patterned amphibians," the association announced on Wednesday. This is because the amphibian fauna starts to move again during this time, with frogs, toads and newts beginning their migration to the spawning waters. The nocturnal fire salamanders have already been spotted on initial patrols.

The fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is considered highly endangered in Saxony. Forecasts predict a further decline in the population. "The main reason for the species' decline is the lack of suitable waters for salamander offspring. As a result of global warming, many streams are already drying up in the first half of the year," it said. Heavy rainfall is also a problem for this species - the larvae can then be washed out of the stream. In addition, smooth watercourse edges make it difficult for the animals to get in and out. Inputs from settlements and agriculture can also have a negative impact on the development of the larvae and change the food spectrum in the water, explained BUND.

Bund Sachsen is responsible for monitoring the occurrence of fire salamanders in the Zwickau district, the Osterzgebirge and in the city of Chemnitz and can rely on financial support from the state of Saxony and the EU. Parallel to the monitoring, the research project "Saxon Alliance for the Protection of the Fire Salamander" will begin this year under the direction of the Dresden University of Applied Sciences, the University of Leipzig and the Senckenberg Natural History Collections Dresden. The aim is to establish an early warning system to protect the fire salamander in Saxony. The background to the project is the threat posed to fire salamanders by a deadly skin fungus - the "salamander plague"

"In order to improve the situation, we are also dependent on the continued help of volunteer nature conservationists and locals," said BUND employee Heidi Enderlein. Own finds and sightings of the strikingly patterned animals could be sent to BUND or the State Office for the Environment, Agriculture and Geology by post or email with a note on the number, location, date and circumstances of the find and, if possible, a photo.