European Fire Salamander

[Cadeby]

Does anyone know the range for the European Fire Salamander?

My chickens have recently come across two on my farm, which I find surprising as we are in Maine et Loire ( Dept. 49 ) north of the Loire River.

Plus any recommendations for good herpetology guide books?

[Pixietoadstool]

The fire salamanders can be found throughout France, as far as I am aware.  I have a brilliant guide which is now I think out of print but gives details of all vertebrates to be found in France and gives presence or absence by region.  However, you may be able to get a second hand one or find one somewhere else.  It is as follows (sorry about the google highlights):

Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle de France (1992). Inventaire de la Faune de France. Vertébrés et principaux invertébrés. Nathan. 415 p

We have fire salamanders in Basse Normandie and several other amphibians and reptiles which you won't find in the UK.

Hope this helps?

Valerie

 

Edit - I have just found it for sale on Amazon and it looks like there is a later publication too - about 25 euros but a big and detailed book - worth it I think.  Follow the link to Amazon.fr (they deliver to UK too):

http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books-fr&field-keywords=Inventaire%20de%20la%20Faune%20de%20France/ref=xs_ap_sai2_xgl14/171-3881393-6257853

[Cadeby]

Thanx for the info Valerie - a great help!

 

Helen.

[David M]

[quote]Does anyone know the range for the European Fire Salamander? My chickens have recently come across two on my farm, which I find surprising as we are in Maine et Loire ( Dept. 49 ) north of the Loire...[/quote]

I came across one, early one morning, in the mists, on the slopes of the Pic du Midi d' Ossau. Ambling along quite casually.

David

[Junlesley]

Just seen our first European fire salamander, we wondered what it was at first because it had got such lovely bright yellow and black marking's, it looked too exotic to be found on a cold and wet night in Normandy

[chris pp]

As far as I know this species does not exist in the UK and yet it occupies latitudes as far north as Cumbria / Northumberland in continental Europe.

Does anyone have any information on this and/or the reasons why? Is it that the fire salamander developed since the Channel / La Manche was formed?

Cheers, Chris

[Val_2]

We get a lot in our garden here in NW Finistère and the locals say it is a sign of good clean water in the well inthe garden and locally in the rivers etc. Don't touch them without gloves, they do "burn" the skin and one of our cats tried to lick one and had huge rubbery lips for a couple of weeks until the swelling went down.

[Kergohy]

So that's what that lovely black and yellow newt thing was! We've had a few here in south 22. After the UK, it's great to see so many birds and beasts here - we've got resident kestrels, black and white woodpeckers, wrens and lots of others that I've only heard tell of before!

[benson]

We have them here in 23, they only seem to come out on rainy evenings!!

[Opalienne]

We have them in 62, which is almost as far north as you can get!   I found a baby one in the kitchen the other day (they are brown when they are babies and get their more exotic colouring as adults).

[vervialle]

We have them in 87 haute vienne, they sleep all winter I think as they are very drowsy when you disturb them in early spring, I would have thought it was to wet in our region for them and am quite suprised to see them.I have seen several in my garden living under piles of rocks.I am always careful to cover them up again if I disturb them.I think pets give them a wide berth if they come accross them.Would not be suprised to  see a recipe for them you know how it is in France.!!!!