The National Library of Public Information in Taichung City recently held a special exhibition introducing Taiwan's national treasure, the salamander. A charming photo shared on the library's Facebook fan page attracted over 16,000 likes and shares, featuring a salamander curled up in a shape resembling a doughnut. This adorable formation is a natural phenomenon, not a human-made decoration. Interestingly, the ring beside the salamander is not cotton candy, but its offspring!
According to the Yushan National Park Administration, the Alishan salamander mother first attaches the egg sac base to underwater stones and vigilantly guards the eggs before hatching. She frequently turns the egg strings, removes mold, and wards off predators to ensure successful hatching. Typically, the father salamander is responsible for caring for the young. If an egg string falls off, the father carries the babies on his body to protect them. Thanks to the parents' devoted care, salamander offspring can grow in harsh environments.
Taiwan's salamanders are rare and mostly inhabit temperate forests above 1,500 meters in elevation. There are five species endemic to Taiwan: the Guanwu Salamander (Hynobius fucus), Taiwan Salamander (Hynobius formosanus), Nanhu Salamander (Hynobius glacialis), Sonani's Salamander (Hynobius sonani), and Alishan Salamander (Hynobius arisanensis). These five species represent the southernmost and lowest latitude populations of the family Hynobiidae worldwide, making them extremely rare and treasured national species.
Despite the name "salamander" containing the character for "fish", these creatures are not fish but amphibians belonging to the order Caudata and family Hynobiidae. The name "salamander" reportedly comes from an old Japanese text describing the animal's body scent resembling Japanese pepper (sansho). However, modern Japanese researchers have found no pepper-like smell on these salamanders.
The exhibition, titled "Into the Cloud Forest – Exploring the Salamander Special Exhibition", is jointly organized by the National Library of Public Information, Shei-Pa National Park, Yushan National Park, and Taroko National Park. It is held at the library's main hall and features richly illustrated displays. On weekends, storytelling theater performances are also held. The exhibition runs from April 23 to June 15. Salamander enthusiasts and those interested in learning more about Taiwan's national treasures are encouraged to visit.
