DC Now Has An Official Amphibian

Thanks to middle-grade students at DC’s Powell Elementary School, DC now has an official amphibian: the Red-Backed Salamander.

You’ll know you see one when you find a salamander with a dorsal stripe that is brick-red in color (also sometimes dull brown). The Red Back Salamander is pretty common in wooded areas of DC, as well as throughout eastern and Appalachian regions of the U.S.

It eats insects and lives in damp or moist habitats.

While “Official Amphibian” is largely an honorary title, this new accolade allows the Red-Backed Salamander to join the ranks of the Arizona Tree Frog, the Red Spotted Newt (New Hampshire), and the American bullfrog (Missouri) as state official amphibians. In fact, most state amphibians ARE salamanders, with a dozen different types of the species represented.

Did you know? In 2020, DC also decided on an official mammal. In 2020, a Girl Scout Troop suggested the Little Brown Bat for the designation, but legislators ultimately decided on the Big Brown Bat to take the honor.