Amphibians & Reptiles of Washington

Rough-Skinned Newts will display a bright colored underside when threatened.

Northwestern salamander larvae and terrestrial adults are mildly poisonous, which generally allows them to survive alongside predators.

Long-toed Salamanders mostly live underground in rodent burrows and can be found throughout Washington state. 

It can often be difficult to find Tiger Salamanders because they spend most of their time buried (up to two feet!) in the ground.

Cope's Giant Salamanders usually mature and reproduce almost entirely in their aquatic form without metamorphosing into terrestrial adults.

Pacific Giant Salamanders are only found in the Pacific Northwest, most commonly near clear, cold mountain streams next to forests.

Ensatina Salamanders are found west of the Cascade Mountains to the coast in Washington state.

Dunn's Salamanders are most often found under rocks in wet shaded areas on the edges of streams in forests.

Larch Mountain Salamanders are found in southern Washington in the Cascade Mountains, and the Columbia river gorge area up to Snoqualmie pass.

The color differences in Van Dyke's Salamanders might be associated with different levels of elevation and temperature.

Western Redback Salamanders are found in riparian habitat west of the Cascades, from sea level up to 1,250 meters.

Cascade Torrent Salamanders are found from the Columbia River Gorge to just north of Mt. St. Helens in Washington state.

Olympic Torrent Salamanders can be found in spray zones of waterfalls and will come onto land on really wet nights.

Rocky Mountain Tailed Frogs are found in the Blue Mountains of eastern Washington state.

Coastal Tailed Frogs are found in western Washington, from the Olympics to the Cascades.

Western Toads dig shallow burrows in loose ground or shelter under rocks or logs.

Woodhouse's Toads can be found in river valleys, meadows, grasslands, and marshes in southwestern region of Washington state.

Pacific Tree Frogs usually live on the ground (despite their name) and hide in underground burrows.

Northern Red-legged Frogs can be found primarily west of the Cascade Mountains in Washington state.

Cascades Frogs prefer quiet water sources including ponds, lakes, marshes or slow moving streams at low elevations.

Thought to hibernate in mud under water, there is evidence that Columbia Spotted Frogs actually move around under the ice in winter.

Northern Leopard Frog populations were once widespread throughout the northern U.S. and Canada, but current populations are decreasing.

The Oregon Spotted Frog is currently very threatened in Washington state, having disappeared from 70-90% of their range.

The Great Basin Spadefoot can emit a smell when picked up that is similar to peanuts that can also make you sneeze!

American Bullfrogs are an introduced species in Washington State, originally found only to the east of the Rocky Mountains.

The Green Frog has been introduced into two areas in Washington State—Toad Lake in Whatcom County and Lake Gillette in Stevens County.

Loggerhead sea turtles have been documented migrating across the entire Pacific Ocean!

Some female green sea turtles have been observed digging a fake nest next to their real nest in order to deceive predators!

Although they are one of the smallest sea turtles, olive ridleys can weigh up to 100 pounds.

Snapping turtles are an introduced species in some western states, including Washington state.

As many as 50 painted turtles have been seen basking on a single log!

Western pond turtles cannot swallow food in air, only in water.

The leatherback sea turtle is the largest living reptile in the world!

Northern Rubber Boas can also be found in Idaho, western Wyoming, central Montana, northern Nevada and Utah.

There are many subspecies of racers, each of which have very different ranges.

Some scientists believe that Sharp-tailed Snakes may use their sharp tails to help hold down prey for capture. 

When threatened by a predator, Ring-necked Snakes will coil their tail and display their bright underside.

Desert nightsnakes are often mistaken for rattlesnakes but their venom is harmless to humans.

The entire length of a California Mountain Kingsnake's body consists of repeating bands of red, black and white.

Striped Whipsnakes occur in specific parts of the western United States and northern Mexico.

Pacific gopher snake eggs are some of the largest eggs of any snake found in the United States.

Common Gartersnake coloration varies among localities.

Northwestern gartersnakes are the smallest gartersnake species in Washington.

Terrestrial gartersnakes are found in southwestern Canada and western United States.

Each time a rattlesnake sheds its skin, a new segment is added to their rattle.

Northern alligator lizards are small to medium-sized rough-scaled lizards with short limbs and a long tail.

Southern alligator lizards are large, rough-scaled lizards with short limbs and a long tail.

Western Skinks tend to live near water in dry open forests, shrub-steppe, and grassland.

Horned lizards are rather toad-like in appearance, hence their Latin name “Phrynosoma” meaning “toad body."

In addition to sagebrush, Common Sagebrush Lizards can be found in pinyon-juniper woodlands, ope pine forests and Douglas fir forests.

Western Fence Lizards feed on beetles, ants, flies, caterpillars, and spiders.

Male side-blotched lizards compete for mates using a competitive strategy that resembles a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors!