Interestingly, scientists aren't seeing a bunch of dead salamanders just lying around. Euliss said those invertebrates, or amphipods, that the salamanders eat are now feeding of the dead amphibians. The good news about the salamander die-off is the location. The Cottonwood Lake Study Area, about 40 miles northwest of Jamestown, is said to be one of the most intensively studied wetland complexes in the world. Scientists have been collecting biological data here since 1967 and looking into the underwater and terrestrial lives of salamanders for nearly a decade.
Tiger salamanders are fascinating creatures.
They grow to 10 to 11 inches in length and sport slimy, homely features only another amphibian could appreciate. In the wilds, they can live up to about 3 years of age. This underwater-dwelling tiger salamander still has gills. It calls a fish tank at the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center in Jamestown home. Its counterparts living in the wilds in Stutsman County are dying at an alarming rate due to what scientists believe may be a lethal virus.