The alpine salamander is an extremely unusual amphibian species. On the one hand, the lacquer-black amphibian is exceptionally dark in color, and on the other hand, the salamander does not lay eggs but gives birth to live young. In addition, it is a true survivor, adapted to the cool mountain zones. The highly specialized alpine salamander represents the vulnerability of alpine habitats, among other things due to climate change. The German Society for Herpetology and Terrarium Science e. V. (DGHT) has therefore now named him “Lurch of the Year” 2026.
Alpine salamanders (Salamandra atra) shine deep black and do not have any of the warning colors usually found in salamanders. They are only native to remote areas in the eponymous Alps and some mountains in the Balkans. There the salamanders inhabit moist deciduous forests, shrub heaths and grass mats and are therefore also called mountain or rain mandls. In Germany, the delicate tailed amphibians only inhabit the south of Bavaria and the extreme southeast of Baden-Württemberg. Because of this narrow regional restriction to the Alpine area, mostly above 800 meters, the species is a real exotic among the 20 native amphibian species.
Threatened homeland in the Alps
The German Society for Herpetology and Terrarium Science e. V. (DGHT) has now chosen the Alpine salamander as “Lurch of the Year” for 2026. With this award he is intended to serve as an ambassador to protect Alpine nature and draw attention to the consequences of climate change. The Alpine salamander is still common in its mountainous homeland and the population of the species, which is “strictly protected” throughout Europe, currently appears to be stable within this limited framework. The species is still considered “least endangered” in Germany’s red lists, but some rare subspecies are threatened with extinction.
However, as a cold-blooded, cold-blooded species, the Alpine salamander is generally in danger. Because of climate change, the Alps are also becoming warmer and warmer. The salamander will therefore have to move to higher mountain altitudes in the future, which will shrink its habitat. There are also other man-made risk factors for the amphibian such as the increasing development and use of the Alps as ski slopes, traffic on Alpine roads and alpine farming. They all also contribute to the shrinking of the salamander’s habitats.
In addition, a natural enemy could pose a threat to the Alpine salamander in the future: the salamander chytrid fungus (Bsal). Infection with this fungus is usually fatal for fire salamanders, which has already led to mass deaths in Europe. The novel pathogen has not yet been detected in wild specimens of the related Alpine salamander. However, alpine salamanders in the laboratory were found to be susceptible to infection with the fungus. In addition, it has already been proven that alpine newts were infected in close proximity to the alpine salamanders. A transfer could therefore be imminent.
Reproduction through live births
The “Lurch of the Year” 2026 also has serious disadvantages in the fight for survival in its Alpine homeland due to its special lifestyle. Because of the cold in the mountains, the alpine salamander spends a lot of time in hibernation and only mates when the weather and temperature conditions are right. In addition, it only gives birth to one or two young per female every two to four years. This means it has an extremely low reproduction rate and has the longest gestation period of all land vertebrates.
This is because the alpine salamander does not lay eggs, as amphibians normally do, but gives birth to live, fully developed young. The larvae of the Alpine salamander do not develop in water, as is usually the case after the eggs are laid and hatched, but rather completely in the female uterus. This time-consuming reproduction is unique among all frogs and caudal amphibians worldwide and only occurs in the Alpine salamander in Europe. The reproduction of the “lurk of the year” is therefore independent of the waters, which are rare in the high mountains, but still depends on an intact environment and suitable living conditions.
Sources: German Society for Herpetology and Terrarium Science. V. (DGHT), Alpine Salamander Competence Center