Briar's Birdwatching

Population could be declining for rare species of salamander found almost exclusively in Knox County

In Knoxville's caves, the endangered Berry Cave Salamander clings to survival as conservationists work to protect them.

Inside a network of caves below the former Ross Marble quarry at Ijams Nature Center, a rare salamander in the world survives in near total darkness. The endangered Berry Cave Salamander (Gyrinophilus gulolineatus) has only ever been documented at eleven historical locations worldwide. And according to a 2017 survey, researchers were only able to confirm the species at four of those sites — three of them in Knox County. “That’s a pretty heavy burden of responsibility on the landowner,” Ben Nanny, the conservation director at Ijams Nature Center, said.  One of those protected cave entrances sits behind massive iron gates installed at Mead’s River Cave in 2008. The gates are designed to keep people out while still allowing bats and other wildlife to move freely through the cave system. Dr. Matthew Niemiller, a biologist and associate professor who has spent years studying cave species in Tennessee, says cave ecosystems often function like isolated islands...

Read more: Population could be declining for rare species of salamander found almost exclusively in Knox County | wbir.com

These Canadian Geese and their goslings! We only recently started getting Canadian geese visters in the past few years, but this is the first time they've had babies here, and the first time I've seen them in person. 🥹

American Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica), family Rallidae, order Gruiformes, SC, USA

New keyring! Available in my shop now, link below!🩷

Swallow-tailed Gull (Creagrus furcatus), family Laridae, order Charadriiformes, endemic to the Galapagos