Two major groups of amphibians occur in the Great Smokies: the salamanders (30 species) and the frogs and toads (14 species). Check out the Amphibians Checklist for scientific and common names. The Great Smoky Mountains are known as the 'Salamander Capital of the World!' Salamanders are an especially abundant and diverse group in the Great Smokies. In fact, the great majority of vertebrate (backboned) animals, including human visitors, in the park on any given day are salamanders.