With the banana slug as its mascot, UC Santa Cruz may be a bit partial to slimy, brightly colored critters that tread along our coast. But a National Geographic photo project that draws attention to species at risk of extinction around the world may have our beloved Sammy turning green with envy today.
For the epic Photo Ark project, National Geographic Explorer and photographer Joel Sartore visited UC Santa Cruz’s Coastal Science Campus to take pictures of a different local ground-dweller: the Santa Cruz long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum).
“Joel contacted us that he was going to be making a visit to the coastal campus and would like to get some photos of the salamander,” said Eric Palkovacs, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology (EEB).” While here, he also photographed other rare and endangered species that our researchers are working hard to save.”
Palkovacs said his lab at the coastal campus has been studying the salamander since 2020, with the goal of helping to conserve the species. His team works closely with partners from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and local land-conservation organizations that protect its habitat by encouraging management agencies to take proactive conservation approaches.
The salamander is a federal and state-listed subspecies found only in a small area between Santa Cruz and Monterey. Marked with orange to yellowish spots or bars on their back, and growing from about 2 to 6 inches long, it spends most of its life underground. So they are rarely seen outside of their winter breeding season. But if you’re lucky, you may spot one around that time under a log, rock or piece of bark. They secrete a sticky coat to deter predators and can vocalize with squeaks or clicks to avoid being caught.
To ensure accuracy, Sartore asked Palkovacs and his team to write the caption for the salamander photos. True to the spirit of UC Santa Cruz, they also voiced environmental advocacy, describing how the salamander is threatened by habitat loss and climate change: “The upland forests where adult salamanders live are being rapidly cleared for agriculture and housing. Meanwhile, frequent and intense droughts are drying up their breeding ponds,” the caption reads.
“This species is a prime example of an endangered amphibian and the perils they are facing,” said EEB research fellow Regina Spranger. “I hope these photos encourage our community to learn and care about our local wildlife here in Santa Cruz, but also that they inspire all people to learn and care about all types of critters around the world.”
Amphibians in decline
Amphibians make up the highest proportion of vertebrates threatened with extinction, with an estimated 41% at risk around the world, according to National Geographic. In its announcement today spotlighting the salamander for the Photo Ark’s 18th anniversary, National Geographic explains how amphibians play an important role in balancing their ecosystems, controlling insect populations, signaling toxins and pollutants present in the environment, and providing a source of food for other animals. Their permeable skin makes amphibians highly sensitive to changes in their environment and an essential indicator species of overall ecosystem health.
While population data is unknown for the Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, the number of breeding populations have greatly declined, with some estimates suggesting they have halved from 30 to 16 in the period from 1954 to 2019. Many southern breeding ponds have been completely destroyed and others are only estimated to have 20-30 adults remaining. The small extant populations have also lost much of their genetic diversity, limiting their ability to adapt to environmental changes and putting them at even greater risk of extinction.
“The Santa Cruz long-toed salamander is emblematic not only of the plight of the world’s amphibian species which are facing rapid decline, but also because it represents a species, like so many others, that we can take action to change its future,” Sartore said. “If the Santa Cruz long-toed salamander is lost, it would mean a critical link in wetland and forest ecosystems would be lost."
He continued: "The public can help this species by supporting local organizations focused on protecting their habitat, encouraging management agencies to be proactive about their conservation, and by getting actively involved in the fight against climate change. After 18 years of documenting species for the Photo Ark, it has never been more urgent to help tell the story of wildlife and help turn interest into conservation action.”
A milestone species
As it turned out, the Santa Cruz salamander is the 16,000th species to be added to the Ark. The brightly speckled recluse is also the first amphibian to mark a milestone for the project, which was first launched by Sartore in 2006. His goal is to document all of the approximately 25,000 species living in the world’s zoos, aquariums, and wildlife sanctuaries, and to inspire action through awareness and education, and by supporting on-the-ground conservation efforts.
So, when the intrepid photographer arrived at the coastal campus, he received a warm reception. EEB postdoctoral scholar Anjana Parandhaman said she has followed Sartore's career and been inspired by him. “It was an honor to meet him and watch him work when he visited us,” she said. “It’s so wonderful that the Ark Project is celebrating this huge milestone with the amphibian we are dedicating our careers to—and also, the salamander’s color matches Nat Geo’s iconic yellow and black logo!”
In addition to helping save the Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, the Palkovacs Lab is developing conservation approaches that can be applied to other endangered species facing threats posed by reduced genetic diversity, habitat loss, and climate change.
“My hope is that this effort will result in a greater understanding and appreciation for this rare and beautiful animal, while calling attention to the efforts that are being undertaken to ensure its survival in the face of numerous threats,” said Chad Mitcham, a wildlife biologist based in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Ventura office.
The public can help the Santa Cruz long-toed salamander thrive by supporting the following organizations: Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, Elkhorn Slough Foundation, Center for Natural Lands Management, or Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County.
