The Jackson’s climbing salamander has been spotted again after 40 years
(Mirror Daily, United States) – A team of researchers made an encouraging discovery which left them rejoicing. While exploring the Cuchumatanes Mountains in Guatemala, they stumbled upon a Jackson’s climbing salamander. This finding matters a lot, as this is the first time in 40 years when they spot the species, and many thought it had already gone extinct.
The Jackson’s climbing salamander is back from the dead
The Jackson’s climbing salamander can be easily spotted thanks to its striking yellow color, which also led to it being called the golden wonder. This species was spotted for the first time in 1975, in a jungle in Guatemala. However, this month, a guard looking after the Finca San Isidro Amphibian Reserve spotted a baby salamander belonging to the same species. This was the third specimen ever spotted.
This attracted the attention of the Global Wildlife Conservation group, who have dedicated their time to look for species which people regarded as extinct. They were extremely excited by the discovery, and said endangered species still have a chance. Since such a species was spotted again within a protected area, this means there’s still hope.
An expert confirm that the specimen belonged to the long-lost salamander species
The conservation group decided to check if the mysterious salamander really belonged to the Jackson’s climbing species. Therefore, they snapped a quick photo of the specimen, and sent it to an expert. This was the curator of herpetology at the University of San Carlos in Guatemala, Carlos Vasquez, who has been on an avid quest to find the salamander since 2005.
He confirmed its origin, and was happy to see that the species didn’t disappear, after all. However, the discovery isn’t valuable only for the species alone, but for the entire area. This highlights the ideal conditions for different species to thrive, and promises a bright future for the creatures which populate it.
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