Dr. Ronald Bonett’s animal facility has already given us a unique glimpse of the species that inhabit these lands, but nothing compares to observing these creatures in their natural habitat: not only is it picturesque, but it also gives us a better understanding of the ecology associated with the animal.
We went out into the field in the Ozarks, Arkansas. A single day and six different spots were enough to get a glimpse of the region’s richness in salamanders. We encountered more than seven distinct species of salamanders. This diversity rivals, if not exceeds, the number of salamander species found in entire countries such as Switzerland or France.
Waterfalls, Arkansas. ©A.-C. Fabre 
First spot : a forest edge near the road. ©I. Toussaint 
First spot. Dr. A. Herrel finding salamanders under a rock. ©I. Toussaint 
First spot. Dr. A. Herrel and Dr. R. Bonett searching for salamanders. ©A.-C. Fabre 
First spot. Spotted-tail salamander (Eurycea lucifuga). ©A.-C. Fabre 
First spot. Ozark zigzag salamander (Plethodon angusticlavicus). ©A.-C. Fabre 
Second spot. Descend into a sort of disused bunker. ©I. Toussaint 
Second spot. PhD student I. Toussaint inside the bunker. ©A.-C. Fabre 
Second spot. Dr. A.-C. Fabre and PhD student I. Toussaint inside the bunker. ©R. Bonett 
Second spot. Spotted-tail salamander (Eurycea lucifuga). This species is frequently observed inside caves. ©A.-C. Fabre 
Second spot. Another type of amphibian encountered inside the bunker. ©A.-C. Fabre 
Second spot. Dr. A. Herrel inside the bunker. ©I. Toussaint 
Second spot. Dr. A.-C. Fabre and Dr. R. Bonett inside the Bunker. ©I. Toussaint 
Third spot: Norfork national fish hatchery map. We came to recover mudpuppies accidentally sucked by the pumps that supply water from the surrounding lakes to the fish-breeding tanks. ©I. Toussaint 
Third spot. Common mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus). ©I. Toussaint 
Third spot. Dr. A.-C. Fabre and Dr. R. Bonett contemplating one mudpuppy. ©I. Toussaint 
Third spot. Preparation for transport. ©A.-C. Fabre 
Third spot. PhD student I. Toussaint. ©A.-C. Fabre 
Third spot. Transport of the muddpuppies. ©A.-C. Fabre 
Fourth spot. Stream on the side of a road.. 
Fourth spot. Larva of an Oklahoma salamander (Eurycea tynerensis) salamander. ©A.-C. Fabre 
Fourth spot. Oklahoma salamander (Eurycea tynerensis) salamander. ©A.-C. Fabre 
Fifth spot. On the edge of a highway. From the left : Dr. R. Bonett, Dr. A. Herrel, and Dr. A.-C. Fabre. ©I. Toussaint 
Fifth spot. Spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum). ©A.-C. Fabre 
Fifth spot. PhD student I. Toussaint holding a slimmy salamander in her hand. ©A.-C. Fabre 
Fifth spot. Slimmy salamander ©I. Toussaint (Plethodon albagula) ©I. Toussaint 
Fifth spot. Slimmy salamander ©I. Toussaint (Plethodon albagula). ©A.-C. Fabre 
Sixth spot. From the left : Dr. A. Herrel and Dr. R. Bonett. ©I. Toussaint 
Sixth spot. Ouachita Dusky salamander (Desmognathus brimleyorum). ©A.-C. Fabre
