The California Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma californiense) is an eye-catching amphibian that’s only found in California — nowhere else in the world. With its bold yellow spots on a jet-black body and its secretive, underground lifestyle, this salamander is as fascinating as it is elusive. Sadly, it’s also listed as a threatened species, which makes every sighting all the more special.
Size & Physical Appearance
Adult California Tiger Salamanders are fairly large. They typically measure between 6 to 8.5 inches long from nose to tail, though some can grow a bit larger.
They stand out thanks to their shiny black skin covered with irregular, bright yellow or cream-colored spots or bars. No two individuals have the exact same pattern. Their bodies are stout and stocky, with a broad, rounded head and relatively small eyes.
There are some subtle differences between the sexes. Males tend to have longer tails and thicker front limbs during the breeding season. Juveniles (often called larvae) look completely different — they have external gills and live underwater until they metamorphose into adults.
Habitat and Range
This species is a true California original. It’s found only in central California, mainly in grasslands, oak woodlands, and vernal pool areas — places that get wet with rain in winter and dry out in summer.
They need both upland habitat (for living underground in burrows for most of the year) and seasonal ponds or pools (for breeding during the rainy months). Counties with known populations include parts of the Central Valley, the Bay Area, and the central coast.
You’ll generally find them from sea level up to around 1,000 feet in elevation.
Diet
They’re not picky eaters. Adult California Tiger Salamanders feed on just about anything they can catch and swallow, including:
- Insects
- Earthworms
- Beetles
- Spiders
- Small frogs or even baby mice (if the opportunity arises)
Larvae are aquatic and eat small aquatic prey — think tiny crustaceans, insect larvae, tadpoles, and even other salamander larvae if food is scarce.
Lifespan
In the wild, these salamanders can live for 10 to 15 years, which is relatively long for an amphibian. That said, many don’t survive to adulthood due to habitat loss, drought, and predation.
In captivity (mostly for research or conservation), they’ve been known to live even longer under ideal conditions.
Identification Tips
This species can be confused with other tiger salamanders, especially the Barred Tiger Salamander and other members of the Ambystoma tigrinum complex. But there are a few key differences:
- Color and pattern: California Tiger Salamanders have very dark (often black) bodies with bold, relatively large yellow or whitish blotches. Other tiger salamanders have lighter bodies and more uniform striping or spotting.
- Location: If you’re in California and nowhere else, and especially if you’re west of the Sierra Nevada, it’s probably a California Tiger Salamander — since the others aren’t native to the state.
- Size and head shape: They tend to have wider heads and stouter bodies than similar species.
Fun Fact
California Tiger Salamanders spend up to 95% of their lives underground, often taking over burrows created by ground squirrels or gophers. They pop out only during specific wet periods — usually a few nights each year — to breed. So even if you live right on top of their habitat, you might never see one unless you’re in the right place at the right time.
Final Thoughts
If you’re lucky enough to spot a California Tiger Salamander in the wild, take a moment to appreciate it from a distance. They’re protected under state and federal law, and their populations are declining due to development and loss of critical wetland habitats.
Want to help them? Supporting conservation of vernal pools and grasslands in California is a great place to start. These secretive salamanders are a reminder of how much life happens right beneath our feet — sometimes literally.