Coco Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 The builders have been digging a drainage trench along the back of our house today and in the process have uncovered 3 quite large salamanders, each about 9-10 inches in length. We've had a quick look on the web and think we have identified them as Fire salamanders - being black with very bright yellow stripes and spots on them. We've moved them to a pile of rocks and leaves behind a different barn and hope they'll be alright (it did say on this website that they like rocks and dead leaves). It did seem as though they are only rarely found at as low an altitude as we live at (130m), the website stated that temperate salamanders are usually found at over 400m and also that they can be endangered by disturbing their hibernation. I must say, these three all seemed pretty lively.Does anyone have any more information about them and whether or not they are common in this part of France (Manche) - we thought we were a bit far north for them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalpa Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 We're in Manche too - in the south near Sourdeval - and we saw ourfirst Fire Salamander in the autumn - we were quite patheticallyexcited! It's not unusual to see them apparently, though this was thefirst time for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opalienne Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 We have loads in our garden (Pas de Calais). They also live in the cellar. When I saw the first one I thought it was a plastic toy until it moved rather quickly! The babies are brown and only turn black and yellow at adulthood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco Posted January 27, 2006 Author Share Posted January 27, 2006 [quote user="catalpa"]We're in Manche too - in the south near Sourdeval - and we saw our first Fire Salamander in the autumn - we were quite pathetically excited! It's not unusual to see them apparently, though this was the first time for us.[/quote]Not pathetic at all! Well... if you are then so are we!!!! I think I've seen more wildlife here in the last 3 years than I had seen in my previous 42 put together! The builders also uncovered two fairly large (so they tell me) slow (sp?) worms, which were a pretty shade of pinky/bronze and were very intereste to have a good look round. Now I've just got to worry about making the barn owl homeless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weedon Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a372/weedonwite/21105.jpg This was outside my backdoor last year. I am in Mayenne area.weedon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opalienne Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 Yes, those are the same as ours. We had a baby one in the kitchen a month or so ago! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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