Northwestern Salamander

Northwestern Salamander

Ambystoma gracile

Silhouette: Matt Reinbold (modified by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
at Redwood National Park
98 Verified sightings at Redwood National Park From 2019 to 2026
347 Verified sightings across all 4 parks From 2019 to 2026
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Northwestern Salamander

The northwestern salamander (Ambystoma gracile) is a species of mole salamander that inhabits the northwest Pacific coast of North America. These fairly large salamanders grow to 8.7 in (220 mm) in length. It is found from southeastern Alaska on May Island, through Washington and Oregon south to the mouth of the Gualala River, Sonoma County, California. It occurs from sea level to the timberline, but not east of the Cascade Divide. Its range includes Vancouver Island in British Columbia and The San Juan Islands, Cypress, Whidbey, Bainbridge, and Vashon Islands in Washington.

The egg mass is very firm, it feels much like a brain with a jelly layer around the entire mass. The individual eggs are 2 mm diameter with the entire egg mass the size of your fist. The egg masses are laid in water about 0.5–2 meters below the surface.

The hatchlings are 1–35 mm long with feathery gills on the side of the body. The juveniles are 16–105 mm long from their snout to vent. Adults are 40–107 mm long from their snout to vent. The spotted forms occur in the northern portion of its range. A dividing line of 51°N latitude has been recognized between the... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~40%
2 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
~30%
3 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
4 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Northwestern Salamander in Redwood National Park?

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Northwestern Salamander sighting in Redwood National Park, based on 98 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Northwestern Salamander in Redwood National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Northwestern Salamander in Redwood National Park in our monthly data.

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