What Is The New Hampshire State Amphibian?
New Hampshire is a US state in New England. Also known as the Granite or the White Mountain State, New Hampshire is the 46th largest state with an area of about 9,349 square miles. New Hampshire became the ninth state to be admitted to the union after its admission on June 21, 1788. The admission to the statehood came about with several decisions about the state symbols. Indeed, the data shows that all of the state symbols of New Hampshire came after its admission to the union.
The New Hampshire State AmphibianÂ
The red-spotted newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) is the official state amphibian of New Hampshire. The amphibian was chosen back in 1985 after high school students led a two-year campaign for its selection. The choice was well-received by most people including the papers due to the widespread presence of the newt in New Hampshire.
Description
The red-spotted newt, which belongs to the larger eastern newt species, is a small creature that grows to lengths of between 2.5 and 4 inches. Unlike other salamanders who normally have a slippery skin, the skin is usually rough and dry. Their bodies can have a green or brown color and may have two rows of red spots on either side of the body. The underside is lighter than other body colors and can be either orange or yellow. At the juvenile stage, their bodies have an impressive bright orange color. Due to their striking appearance, they are often caught and used as aquarium pets or commercially sold.
Diet
The diet varies depending on age. The larvae mainly feed on aquatic insects. The adults’ diet includes meals like insects, worms, fish eggs, crustaceans, young amphibians, and frog eggs.
Habitat
These creatures can live in both deciduous and coniferous forests as long as the environment is moist. In addition, the environment has to have a water body, which can be either permanent or temporary. However, their most suitable habitat is one that is muddy. During their juvenile stage, they can be found roaming away from their original habitats and may be found roaming the forests during rainstorms. Adults prefer to settle in their muddy habitats although they have been known to move during the dry seasons.
Conservation
The red-spotted newt is common in New Hampshire and all over North America, which is why they are classified as creatures of least concern. However, factors like climate change, invasive species, and overexploitation are threatening their numbers.
