Outdoor School has Salamander Fever

A shorter version of this story appeared in the May edition of Outlook: The newsletter for the San Joaquin County Office of Education.

“Now that was fun…even though I got wet,” said Antonio Delatorre, a 5^th grader from George W. Bush Elementary in Stockton, after spending two hours searching for salamanders.

Now in its 50^th year, the San Joaquin Outdoor School has been offering fifth and sixth grade students the opportunity to choose an activity of their own for several decades. The electives, as they are called, give the students a chance to choose an activity of low, medium, or high energy on their third day at camp.

The newest elective, a high energy salamander hunt, has been a phenomenon for the school.

“I thought maybe I was on to something,” said Naturalist Intern Squirrel. “When 47 students signed up for the hunt my first time, I knew I had struck a cord with them.”

Squirrel has been leading an average of 25-50 “salamander hunters” into the redwood forest of the Santa Cruz Mountains for several months and it continues to be one of the most popular electives the school has ever had.

“I think he has done a stellar job creating a multifaceted event,” said Site Director Aileen Murphy. “It’s something that is both educational and also has an element of personal discovery that the students don’t always get. [The students] can see salamanders as a living, breathing creature that is moving around in their hands…you don’t get that kind of reaction with a banana slug,”

The 25-year-old Squirrel started work at the Outdoor School in January and knew he wanted to come up with something special for electives: “I wanted to give the students the option to have a good time, but I also wanted to create something I could enjoy myself.”

“During our first couple weeks of training I loved the few minutes when we were allowed to search under logs, rocks, and in ponds for salamanders. I always wanted to stay longer, so I figured the kids would probably want to as well.”

The elective he crafted has four parts. First, all the students must learn about the four types of salamanders in the forest they are going into: the slender, California newt, Ensantina, and the elusive Pacific giant salamander. Students are treated to a singing of the “Silly Salamander Song,” view pictures, and learn proper technique for holding salamanders.

Second, students head into the woods for a preliminary hunt.

“This is where I let the students get their feet wet. They usually are a bit skeptical that we will even find salamanders, so after they see a few slenders or newts, the blood really starts flowing,” said Squirrel.

After this introduction to the world of salamander searching, Squirrel leads them through the woods at a frenzied pace. He keeps the energy up by running down hills yelling “charge”, doing a salamander hunt chant (“When I say salamander, you say hunt!”), and by constantly referring to what he calls the “mother load” of salamanders, a mysterious place called Winter Pond.

Next, the students partake in the “traditional face-painting of the historic salamander hunters.” Basically, Squirrel just has them rub the burnt charcoal of a redwood tree all of their faces, but at this point they are so excited they forget they are even students at an outdoor school – they are full blown salamander hunters ready to turn over every log and rock in the forest.

Finally, after a mad, screaming run to the final location, students arrive at the beautiful Winter Pond. The pond is surrounded by dozens of logs to search under and a pool of water that serves as grand central station for the entire California newt population.

Students stare in wonder as newts swim in the Pond. “I like the newts the best…because they swim like an alligator,” said Delatorre.

If Squirrel is present, they are allowed to pick up the salamanders. Unlike indoor school, students’ hands need to be dirty first to avoid the spreading oils in the hand that will clog the only way salamanders breathe, through their skin.

“I like [Winter Pond] the best. We actually get to pick up animals and touch them…It’s much different than regular school…more fun too,” said Pricilla Baul of Golden Went Elementary in Manteca.

At the end of this hunt, students have found 5 slenders and 8 California newts.

Although the variables in each hunt are much too prominent to be considered scientifically viable (type and size of group), the 5 weeks of hunting have produced some interesting data.

In total, 119 salamanders were found; 66 slenders, 46 California newts, 7 ensantinas, and no Pacific giant salamanders. An average of 24 salamanders was found on each hunt - The record was 36.

Murphy, who has been at the school for two years, was surprised by the numbers.

“I’m surprised you found so few ensantinas. I can’t explain why we have seen so few of those this year…I’m a bit worried something is going wrong with the population.” She also added that the numbers for the other varieties of salamanders seems about right, including the Pacific giant salamander which “is pretty much an endangered species in this forest.” Although, it should be noted she did find one last year.

Although Squirrel’s new elective has been very successful, one goal still eludes him.

“I need to find a Pacific Giant Salamander. I’ve started to have dreams about it…it’s bordering on obsession now,” he lamented.

The San Joaquin Outdoor School will be in session, along with the salamander hunt, until May 23.