A Search for Giant Salamanders – Georgia Wildlife Blog

DNR wildlife biologist Thomas Floyd is looking for giants.

Specifically, of the salamander kind.

“I’m hoping to get records of occurrences,” Floyd said of his work documenting reports of five giant salamander species found in Georgia. “The more eyes out there, the better.”

With that more-is-better approach, Floyd is asking the public to relay sightings of eastern hellbenders, northern mudpuppies and dwarf, Gulf Coast and Apalachicola waterdogs. The smallest of these, dwarf waterdogs, can reach 6 inches long. Hellbenders and mudpuppies can be a foot or longer.

Because of their size, secretive nature and – let’s be honest – sliminess, these salamanders are unfamiliar to many people and can seem frightening. But each is generally harmless and in need of conservation.

Common mudpuppy (Alan Cressler)

DNR’s Wildlife Conservation Section tracks these salamanders and four, excluding Apalachicola waterdogs, are species of greatest conservation need in Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan. The eastern hellbender also is proposed for Endangered Species Act listing.

Floyd is compiling sightings to help better understand the salamanders and their distribution within the river drainages where each is found. The Wildlife Action Plan rates Gulf Coast waterdogs and mudpuppies as “data deficient.” That means there’s a lack of information about both species and possibly the threats they face.

But all of these animals “are very reclusive,” he said. “You don’t come across them often. But you do see them pop up on social media. Somebody fishing will catch one and ask, ‘What the heck is that?’”

Brown/gray waterdog stretched out underwater against a backdrop of light colored rocks

Female dwarf waterdog (Alan Cressler)

Photographs and location details are needed to help ID species. Floyd also urged anglers to unhook and release any salamander they catch.

Sightings can be reported by email or calling DNR at (478) 994-1438.

WHAT ABOUT OTHER BIG AMPHIBIANS?

Thomas Floyd’s search does not include sirens or amphiumas, also large yet more common aquatic salamanders. But reports of Georgia’s lesser, greater and dwarf sirens and one- and two-toed amphiumas (“True swamp creatures,” October 2018) can be helpful. For example, one-toed amphiuma is also a State Wildlife Action Plan species of greatest conservation need.

Email reports with photos of these species to GaGiantSalamander@dnr.ga.gov. One ID tip: Sirens don’t have hind legs; amphiumas do but all of their legs are tiny.