Fire salamander

Amphibian

The beautiful fire salamander lives in moist forests and is a very shy little creature. It often hides between rocks, stumps and logs. The fire salamander is a mythical animal and in the past it was believed that they lived in fire and had magical properties. There are actually four different species of fire salamanders, of which we at Parken Zoo have the so-called ”common fire salamander”.

Most reptiles and amphibians are oviparous, i.e. they lay eggs that hatch outside their bodies. However, there are some exceptions, the fire salamander being one of them. Their eggs hatch inside the body and the female gives birth to developed larvae. This is a good adaptation to ensure that moisture and warmth are optimal for egg development but costs a little more energy for the female.

Fire salamanders, like many other amphibians, have pores in their skin that can secrete a toxic secretion as a defence in threatening situations. In the fire salamander, these pores are located on the upper back along the muscles next to the spine. It can be seen as white droplets that are secreted and smeared over the skin. In extreme situations, the venom can also be sprayed on the danger by the muscles contracting. In addition to proteins and fats, the secretions also contain something called alcaoids. In small doses, these can be used in the production of medicines or as drugs, but in larger doses they can cause fatal convulsions in, for example, a cat or dog.