Salamandra habitat in the Netherlands

[ester]

I've compiled a few pictures with commentary and saved it as pdf (adobe reader necessary). Enjoy.

The file has gotten a little big (1.3MB), you can find it here:
http://www.shadows2.demon.nl/forest.pdf

 

[ingo]

Hello Ester,

this is really a beautiful forest, the ideal Salamandra-Habitat.
In the file, you have written:
<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>Ester van Strien wrote on Sunday, 05 June, 2005 - 08:18 :</font>

"The day was a cloudy one making it more difficult to take pictures inside the forest (but at least
it was dry)."<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

This is surely the reason, you did not encounter any adult Fire-Salamander so far. In the habitat close to my house, the forest looks similar; the adult salamanders are hidden well and can never be found by turning trunks or stones.
Only past ten o´clock p.m. when it is completely dark and when it has rained or is raining, I can find dozens of Salamandra s. terrestris.
This one I met by chance on a rainy day at the entrance of his burrow.
So, good luck for your further "investigations"!

Regards,
Ingo

 

[ester]

Thanks

I didn't really expect to find adults, we only managed to get to the forest at 7.20 am. I still plan to go there sometime at night. A wet night would help then. For picture taking of a habitat it's nicer if there isn't a downpour going on though

Humidity was close to the surface everywhere though. Only the upper leaves are dry, all others are humid.

 

[ingo]

Hi Ester,
My habitat - photos are also taken by day

Though I have heard Salamandra s. salamandra is more often found by day, when humidity is high, I can´t confirm this with the terrestris here...

Yesterday in the evening (a rainy one) at 11 p.m. I found again about 30-40 Salamanders - some of which I have never seen before, but also some "old friends"

 

[sergé]

Hi Ester,

I know the forest and it is great. Especially at rainy night..because you can come across some adults. I have worked for a year in Maastricht and at rainy nights this was the place to spend your time. The area has been monitored for several years now and it seems the population is pretty stable, in fact the only good population in the Netherlands as far as I know.

Thanks for sharing the pictures, good you don't mention the exact location,

Sergé

 

[rubén]

Ester

Good pics and better information. Cool document...