Western Red-backed Salamander
Plethodon vehiculum
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAmphibia (Amfibis)
- OrderCaudata (Caudats)
- FamilyPlethodontidae (Lungless Salamanders)
- GenusPlethodon (Woodland Salamanders)
- SpeciesPlethodon vehiculum (Western Red-backed Salamander)
The western red-backed salamander (Plethodon vehiculum) is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. The species is found in extreme southwestern Canada and the northwestern United States. The western red-backed salamander is found in temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest. It is considered widespread in the region and is not strictly associated with a specific habitat type. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Western Red-backed Salamander sighting in Olympic National Park, based on 157 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Olympic National Park
Van Dyke's Salamander
Plethodon vandykei
Ensatina
Ensatina eschscholtzii
Wandering Salamander
Aneides vagrans
Rough-skinned Newt
Taricha granulosa
Olympic Salamander
Rhyacotriton olympicus
Northwestern Salamander
Ambystoma gracile
Cope's Giant Salamander
Dicamptodon copei
Long-toed Salamander
Ambystoma macrodactylum
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pacific Rim National Park Reserve | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Olympic National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Western Red-backed Salamander in Olympic National Park?
About 15% of wildlife watchers report a Western Red-backed Salamander sighting in Olympic National Park, based on 157 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Western Red-backed Salamander in Olympic National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Western Red-backed Salamander in Olympic National Park in our monthly data.