Discovery Scope & Sculpture — California Newt

The California newt (Taricha torosa) have backs that can range from dark brown to gray while their bellies are a distinctive golden-orange. During winter, the California newt emerges from under rocks and logs to make the journey to nearby streams and creeks to mate. Keep your eyes peeled for their orange bellies, especially after a heavy rainstorm. Be sure not to touch these creatures, as their skin secretes the same neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin, found in puffer fishes. Tetrodotoxin is 100 times more toxic than cyanide. When they’re not migrating to bodies of water to mate, these salamanders spend their days eating small insects. They are often endangered by cars when their routes cross, such as in Tilden Park where South Drive is closed for their annual migration.