Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)

Tiger Salamanders are mole salamanders that can reach up to 14 inches long. It has dark skin with bright yellow or olive-colored blotches and is found in various habitats across North America.

Native tiger salamanders are reported in the northern and eastern U.S. and are regarded as relict populations. Conversely, the west coast hosts non-native species, resulting from using larval salamanders as fishing bait4, causing hybridization.

They spend their days concealed in burrows, under rocks or logs, emerging only at night. Their diet includes invertebrates such as worms, insects, slugs, and sometimes even small mammals, reptiles, or amphibians. 

During the spring mating season, males deposit a spermatophore on the ground, which females use to fertilize their eggs. Most salamander species use this reproductive method. Afterward, the fertilized eggs attach to vegetation in shallow bodies of water, and the larvae transform into terrestrial adults over the next few months.