Siberian Salamander

• Individuals have been found frozen in the Siberian permafrost that revived on thawing, some after decades trapped in the ice, and cases of survival after much longer periods have been published that are still debated.
• It withstands temperatures down to forty-five degrees below zero thanks to the glycerol it builds up in its tissues, a biological antifreeze that stops crystals forming inside the cells.
• It is the only amphibian in the world that crosses the Arctic Circle in Asia and reaches the shore of the Arctic Ocean, in an environment where the ground stays frozen for most of the year.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (amphibian)

Habitat and environment

Taiga, tundra and riverine forest of Siberia, the Russian Far East and northern Asia

Size at birth

An aquatic larva that metamorphoses within a few weeks

Sexual maturity

3 years

Gestation / incubation

23 days

Litter / clutch size

70

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/

Best time: From May to June in Siberia and north-eastern Asia, during the thaw, when it breeds in temporary pools.

The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.