While exploring the creek in search of a salamander, I first stumbled upon a huge Ozark Witch Hazel (Hamamelis vernalis) in full bloom. This winter blooming tree has red and yellow showy flowers that vary from the yellow bursts that bloom on the American Witch Hazel (H. virginiana). Though the American witch hazel has a wide range, the Ozark witch hazel is endemic to the Ozark Plateau. This particular one was bigger than many I have seen growing in the wild and it was clinging to a pile of rocks in the center of the creek with very little soil to draw from.
Further upstream I finally found my salamander swimming like an eel in a small rock lined pool. It was young and small; its body looked almost transparent in the sunlight. I held it only briefly since I could see it had gills and many salamanders breath through their skin so the oils from your hand can hurt them. I guessed after researching it later on that it might be an Oklahoma Salamander (Eurycea tynerensis). Though this is not a particularly rare species, I think any salamander is a good sign. The little legs of a salamander are disproportional to their long
bodies and on land they are defenseless and slow. Though these soft bodied amphibians stay hidden under rocks or in water where they can swim fast, most species are
endangered because they are extremely sensitive to water pollution and are vulnerable to prey. They seem to smile at you with their
large mouths even though I am sure, due to their secretive nature, they do not appreciate us and our inquisitive nature. Still, I love looking for salamanders.
