The Alpine Salamander lives in karst areas of the Alps and the Dinarides in deciduous forests and Alpine meadows. It feeds mostly on insects, which he hunts by night. It reaches a size of up to 15 cm, the female being bigger than the male. He defends himself by a poisonous secretion from the skin and by threatening gestures. The Alpine Salamander is viviparous, because the summer period is too short for breeding eggs. Main threat is the destruction of its Alpine habitats.
Images: Martin Kyek