It is a salamander, an amphibian with a prominent tail.
Cute, harmless and as ancient as the dinosaurs.
Cute, harmless and as ancient as the dinosaurs.
Help! What the hell is this creature? Found many in backyard
In my backyard I found these gross-looking creatures. They are like skinless lizzards. This photo is showing a small one but I had just seen two big ones (4" long). They mostly hid beind bricks or wood. They don't move at all. Like half dead. Really creepy. My house is no where near any creek or ponds.What the hell are these things? what do they eat? what are they up to? thanks!
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retired guy 60 is right. They are a rare sight, and if you see them often, you are blessed!
I wish you could ship them to me. I'll pay any associated cost
I wish you could ship them to me. I'll pay any associated cost
When I moved to N California with parents, as a kid, we lived near a creek in the East Foothills of San Jose---the armpit of the Bay. It snowed orchard blossoms in the Spring. There were all kinds of things like you show in the picture but many became extinct as the orchards gave way to tacky track homes and the environment was dangerously compressed. Birds that used to eat snails and slugs went away and blue belly lizzard that ate bugs in wood piles too. We had giant king snakes that looked like rattlers that kept field mouse populations under control but they all went away. Nice to see you have some creatures and I assure you they will cause you no harm.
What the hell are these things? what do they eat? what are they up to? thanks!
Our yard also had all kinds of fossilized remains of creatures in rocks and as you got closer to places like Alviso you saw more and more. Ancestors of that little salamander clan have been in the Bay Area longer than you.
Just where in the Bay Area are you? Salamanders still live in moist environment leak in the leaves of the redwoods off Highway 9 and of course the giant banana slug can be found there. It is the official mascot of the University of California-Santa Cruz. None of these creatures will cause you any harm although some are sensitive to the slime of the giant slugs. Of course European snails that snuck into the environment raise havoc with plants and I fully support squashing them with your bare feet.
I hope you can come to admire those that share your environment. As for what they are up to in your yard? They are amphibians and can live on land or in and out of water. I suspect your sprinkler system and so forth is providing them with the moisture they need.
I live in Sunnyvale. It used to be Cherry orchards around here. But since the tract homes were built in the area in the 1950s, those orchards are long gone. As I read, this thing is called Santa Cruz Black Salamander, distributing mainly in Santa Cruz County and West side of San Mateo county. Sunnyvale is a pretty dry place but somehow a few of them still manage to survive, maybe due to my springklers like someone pointed out. :laughing:
Actually I was trying to find those two big ones this afternoon. I turned all the wood and rocks in my backyard but couldn't find them anywhere. Not that I like them but since I have read so much about their species, I now get a bit curious.
Actually I was trying to find those two big ones this afternoon. I turned all the wood and rocks in my backyard but couldn't find them anywhere. Not that I like them but since I have read so much about their species, I now get a bit curious.
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