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 Official State Amphibian
Adoption of State AmphibianWoodland Heights Elementary School is located at 1216 John B. White Sr. Boulevard in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It is at this school that the successful campaign to adopt an official amphibian to represent South Carolina began. Third grade teacher, Lynn K. Burgess, and her 1997-1998 third-grade class were studying about their state when they found that South Carolina did not have an official state amphibian. They decided to do something about it.
An email and letter-writing campaign to state legislators was launched. As first unsuccessful, persistence paid off and by 1998 the campaign had made inroads. In December of 1998, bills were pre-filed in the legislature to adopt the Spotted Salamander as the official state amphibian of South Carolina. On January 12, 1999, Representative Hawkins introduced House Bill No. 3107. This bill specified, "The Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, is designated as the official state amphibian." Also on January 12, Representatives Littlejohn and Rhoad introduced House Bill No. 3111 specifying, "The Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, is designated as the official state amphibian." House Bill No. 3107 was voted down by the South Carolina House of Representatives on March 3, 1999, but House Bill No. 3111 was approved by the House of Representatives on April 21, 1999 and forwarded to the South Carolina Senate for their approval. On June 6, 1999 House Bill No. 3111 was approved by the South Carolina Legislature. On June 11, 1999, the legislation was signed by Governor Beasley making the Spotted Salamander the official state amphibian of South Carolina. About the Spotted Salamander
Spotted Salamanders Ambystoma maculatum are found all over the state of South Carolina but, they are not normally seen. That's because they spend most of their adult lives in underground burrows though they may sometimes be found beneath rotting logs or leaves in mixed deciduous forests. Here they grow up to 6 to 9 1/2 inches long. If you dig under enough logs, you're sure to recognize the Spotted Salamander when you see it. From black to blue-black, dark gray or dark brown, the two rows of bright yellow or orange spots from head to tail can't be missed. In the winter months, you may spot the elusive Spotted Salamander as it heads to a nearby pool or pond to lay eggs. They are prompted from their underground burrows by the sound of rain and warming temperatures. Adult Spotted Salamanders eat a variety of insects, spiders, beetles, snails, slugs and earthworms. South Carolina StatutesThe following information is excerpted from the South Carolina General Statutes, Title 1, Chapter 1, Article 9, Section 1-1-699. TITLE 1. Administration of the Government.
Additional InformationAmbystoma maculatum, Spotted Salamander: AmphibiaWeb, University of California, Berkeley. Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum: USGS, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. Spotted Salamander Ambystoma maculatum: Entry at the National Wildlife Federation's eNature.com web site. Salamanders of the United States and Canada: by James W. Petranka, Copyright 1998. Newts and Salamanders: Everything About Selection, Care, Nutrition, Diseases, Breeding, and Behavior by Frank Indiviglio, Michele Earle-Bridges, Richard D. Barlett, Copyright 1997 Source: South Carolina Legislature, (http://www.scstatehouse.net), January 12, 2005
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