Endangered Salamanders Threatened by Habitat Destruction, Staff Firings

A new legal battle has begun over the survival of one of Florida’s most vulnerable amphibians. The Center for Biological Diversity has initiated legal proceedings against the Trump administration, citing violations of the Endangered Species Act that put the critically endangered frosted flatwoods salamander at risk.

The lawsuit highlights disturbing habitat destruction at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in north Florida, where records show that a protected salamander breeding pond was mowed and sprayed with herbicides during the breeding season in late 2024, under the departing Biden administration.

“The damage to one of the few known frosted flatwoods salamander breeding ponds is truly shocking,” said Elise Bennett, Florida and Caribbean director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “It appears that this egregious mismanagement stemmed from a critical gap in experience and expert oversight at St. Marks.”

Conservation Crisis Deepens

The situation has grown more dire following recent staff reductions. On February 14, 2025, approximately 420 staff were fired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, including employees working to protect threatened and endangered species. These cuts followed directives from the Department of Government Efficiency.

The frosted flatwoods salamander population has declined dramatically over the years – from 25 known populations in 1999 to only nine by 2015, scattered across Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. The status of the single historical population in South Carolina remains uncertain.

Given these steep declines, Service biologists recommended upgrading the salamander’s status from “threatened” to “endangered” in 2019.

Multiple Threats to Survival

The black-to-chocolate colored salamanders, distinguished by their light gray lines forming cross-banded patterns, face several major threats:

Habitat degradation due to poor management practices
Extended droughts and powerful hurricanes driven by climate change
Chronic underfunding and understaffing of wildlife refuges

These small amphibians have specific habitat needs, living in longleaf pine-slash pine flatwoods in the southeastern coastal plain. They spend most of their lives underground in burrows, emerging only during early winter rains to breed in small, isolated seasonal wetlands.

Legal Requirements Not Met

The Center’s lawsuit claims the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided no records showing it completed the required formal consultation to ensure activities would not jeopardize the species or destroy critical habitat, as mandated by the Endangered Species Act.

“Our legal notice highlights the steep cost of undercutting a federal workforce whose job is to protect the delicate fabric of life we all need to be happy and healthy,” Bennett added. “Americans care about protecting endangered species. We’re ready to stand up for the frosties if the Trump administration doesn’t take its job seriously.”

The small, secretive salamanders rely on ephemeral breeding pools that are critical to their life cycle – the very habitat that was reportedly damaged at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.

The salamanders’ plight underscores broader concerns about funding for wildlife conservation. Conservation efforts require adequate staffing and resources to monitor populations, maintain habitats, and implement recovery plans. With the recent firing of over 400 Fish and Wildlife Service employees, experts worry that many endangered species – not just the salamanders – face an uncertain future.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a frosted flatwoods salamander? +

The frosted flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum) is a black to chocolate-black amphibian with light gray lines and specks forming a cross-banded pattern across its back. It lives in longleaf pine-slash pine flatwoods in the southeastern coastal plain, spending most of its life underground and emerging only during early winter rains to breed in seasonal wetlands.

Why are these salamanders endangered? +

Frosted flatwoods salamanders are endangered due to habitat degradation from poor management practices, climate change impacts (including extended droughts and hurricanes), and chronic underfunding of conservation efforts. Their population has declined from 25 known populations in 1999 to just nine by 2015, prompting biologists to recommend reclassifying them from “threatened” to “endangered” in 2019.

What happened at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge? +

According to public records, in late 2024, a protected breeding pond at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge was mowed over with heavy machinery and sprayed with toxic herbicides during the salamanders’ breeding season. This pond was designated as critical habitat for the species, and the damage occurred when salamanders would have been traveling to the pond to mate.

How does the Endangered Species Act protect these salamanders? +

The Endangered Species Act prohibits federal agencies from authorizing activities that would jeopardize a protected species’ survival and recovery or destroy protected habitat they need to survive. Federal agencies must complete formal consultations to ensure their actions won’t harm listed species or their critical habitat. The lawsuit claims the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has not provided records showing this required consultation was completed.

How are recent government staffing changes affecting conservation efforts? +

On February 14, 2025, approximately 420 staff were fired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, including employees working to protect and list threatened and endangered species. These cuts followed directives from the Department of Government Efficiency and further weaken the already underfunded and understaffed National Wildlife Refuge System, making it harder to implement necessary conservation measures.

Where do frosted flatwoods salamanders currently exist? +

Frosted flatwoods salamanders currently exist in only about nine known populations scattered across Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, though it’s unclear whether the one historical population in South Carolina still persists. They inhabit longleaf pine-slash pine flatwoods in the lower southeastern coastal plain, a habitat type that has significantly declined over time.

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