Salamanders, a.k.a. cottage country’s cutest amphibians, vary when it comes to their breeding times, clutch sizes, habitat needs, and skin colour. But they do have two things in common: 1) they all look a little like a lizard had a baby with a frog, and 2) they love damp weather. This makes March and April one of the best times to spot them, assuming you look carefully. Many are on the move, migrating to breeding ponds or, in the case of pregnant females, searching for a spot to lay eggs. Keep your eyes peeled and pointed towards the ground.
What is a salamander?
Well, it’s not a lizard—a salamander has smooth skin, with no scales or claws. And, unlike lizards, most are born as aquatic larvae, eventually metamorphosing into terrestrial adults. Species classified as mole salamanders stay underground, for the most part, until spring mating season arrives. Other species are “lungless;” they never grow lungs—whaaa? Instead they rely completely on their skin for respiration. Despite its common name, Ontario’s Eastern newt is also considered a salamander; it has three life stages, not two: larvae, eft, and adult. And don’t forget the province’s largest salamander, the mudpuppy, which can grow to 30 cm long, on average. It’s aquatic for its entire life and, at one time (apparently before science and logic), was shrouded in myth. It’s a lake monster! It’s a fish with tiny legs! It’s poisonous and it barks! It’s not and it doesn’t.
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Only happy when it rains
Early spring’s cool, rainy weather is ideal for salamanders; they need their skin to stay moist (frogs and toads are similar). And for lungless species, wet skin is critical—they breathe almost entirely through it, in a process called “cutaneous respiration.” If their skin isn’t wet, it can’t absorb oxygen. It’s because of this that most salamanders have glands that secrete a mucus that helps keep their skin hydrated no matter the weather. It also acts as a defense against predators: snakes, birds, or small mammals. Smart. Nobody likes eating slippery, slimy stuff.
Measuring up
A salamander’s permeable skin makes this amphibian highly sensitive to ecosystem changes. For that reason, it’s considered a bioindicator species, a gauge of environmental health that can act as a useful screening tool. Some research shows that spotted salamanders, for example, may be sensitive to the effects of acid rain (it can interfere with normal egg development). Studies have found that red-backed salamanders, on the other hand, can indicate mercury levels. Like other salamanders, they prey on insects and arthropods that consume dirt and leaf litter, so a high level of mercury in a red-back’s tissues means there’s a high level of mercury in the soil.
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Hit the reset button
All salamanders have some ability to regrow lost body parts, including limbs and tails. It’s a survival mechanism. If a salamander is caught by a predator, its tail or leg can rip off, allowing for escape. The regenerated appendage is typically similar to the original model. But the detached limb, for the record, doesn’t run around like the disembodied hand from The Addams Family.
This article was originally published in the Early Spring 2026 issue of Cottage Life.
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