The Fascinating Diverse World of Salamanders Western North Carolina's abundant rainfall and high humidity produce cold, fast-flowing streams, damp rock crevices, and moist woodlands filled with decaying logs and leaf litter. These are all perfect habitats for members of the highly diverse order of amphibians known as salamanders. Salamanders are extremely shy creatures, preferring to hide under submerged rocks, in damp caves, and beneath fallen leaves, limbs, and tree trunks. Like all amphibians, they were among the first creatures to inhabit the continental land masses. Their evolution from the fishes coincided with the appearance of the first forests during the Devonian Period more than 345 million years ago.
Salamanders provide an important link in the food web.
They prey on numerous aquatic and terrestrial insects, crayfish and other crustaceans, worms, mollusks, and the eggs of frogs and other salamanders. Salamanders are also sought after as prey by birds, mammals, and fish. More than 35 salamander species are known to inhabit the mountains of North Carolina. Aquatic salamanders spend their entire lives in water, while terrestrial species inhabit damp upland forests. In between are those that live in moist caves, crevices, or woods but visit streams, ponds, and bogs in order to breed.