I expected to see fish. I expected to see lizards. I expected to see snakes. The salamanders were unexpected, and we saw them in droves! While walking on the Waterfall Trail in Branson, MO we encountered a lot of wildlife, and these salamanders were rather common once we made it far enough upstream. It was really cool to see, and a healthy amphibian population usually means a pretty healthy ecosystem, since they can absorb toxins and pollutants through their skin. This means that when an environment becomes contaminated or polluted, amphibians like these salamanders are usually the first to go. We also found a number of hatchling salamanders in their larval state, but we'll wait until next time to show those. Enjoy the photos!
