The inspectors of the Nature and Parks Authority were happy to see today (Sunday) for the first time salamanders that emerged after the first rain in the Tel Dan Nature Reserve.
The salamander is active in winter on rainy nights and spawns tadpoles from the previous year's spawn. After the female spawns in the water, fertilization is carried out by the male in a kind of joint courtship dance. The tadpole grows and develops for 1-3 months depending on the environmental conditions. The salamander reaches maturity at the age of 4-6 years and remains loyal to the habitat in which it was born.
In the world, it is estimated that about a third of the amphibian species are in danger of extinction. In Israel the salamander is an endangered species in the Mediterranean that is also found in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Iran. Among the causes of its extinction are the destruction of habitats, fragmentation of territories and isolation of populations, diseases, climate changes, invasive species, and trampling.
The populations of the salamander found in Israel are at the edge of the southern distribution limit of the species in the Carmel. This is an area that is the hottest and driest environment compared to the other areas where the species is common.
The Nature and Parks Authority leads a number of actions to preserve salamanders in particular and amphibian species in general, including: protection of aquatic habitats and initiation of new ones, initiation of amphibian crossings in relevant road areas to reduce trampling, establishment of natural or artificial facilities to prevent salamanders from drowning in waterholes and ponds, maintaining ecological corridors, monitoring and research as well as educational and information activities on the importance of aquatic habitats and amphibian species.
