Frosted flatwoods salamanders are pond-breeding amphibians that live in pine-dominated flatwoods/savanna communities. They love to burrow and spend much of their time in crayfish burrows or root channels until they reach sexual maturity. Most return to the pond they were born in to breed during the fall months (USFWS Recovery Plan).

This species is in imminent risk of extinction in the next 5-10 years due to severe habitat loss and irregular weather patterns (due to climate change) affecting the salamanders’ breeding habits. Only three populations of frosted flatwood salamanders are known to still live in their native range of Georgia and Florida. The two Florida populations have habitats east of the Apalachicola River in Franklin, Wakulla, Liberty, Jefferson and Baker counties.

The recovery goal is to conserve and protect the frosted flatwoods salamander and its habitat so that its long-term survival is secured, populations are capable of enduring threats, and it can be removed from the list of threatened and endangered species. Brevard Zoo has partnered with the Amphibian Foundation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as well as other AZA-accredited institutions to help create a safeguard population for this critically endangered native species with the goal to successfully breed them in the future and supplement the wild populations if needed.

Our salamander residents arrived in June 2022. We will need to wait about 2-3 years for them to reach their sexual maturity. Stay updated on this conservation breeding program on our blog