Poisonous Newts!!!
Well, we found a rough-skinned newt on our walk today. Very cute (it's the second one we've found in the road and moved so it doesn't get run over).
I had no idea – but it's apparently RIDICULOUSLY POISONOUS!!
Which has its advantages – no-one wants to eat it – and that's why it moves so slowly. Only one animal preys on this newt: The Common Garter Snake. Other snakes will die if they eat a Rough-skinned Newt, often before the newt dies! The Common Garter Snake merely loses muscle control for a few hours.
Imagine a lethally poisonous rabbit. Rather than sprinting to its destination, it could saunter at the speed of a Rough-skinned Newt - the most poisonous salamander on the planet – found right here in BC! One Rough-skinned Newt on the West Coast was found to contain enough poison to kill 25,000 mice. Needless to say, mice are not one of its predators.
From the eNature website:
Warning The skin secretions of the Newts of the genus Taricha contain toxins similar to those found in pufferfish liver. These are among the deadliest natural toxins yet discovered. A healthy adult will die from eating just one Newt. Care should be taken to wash hands thoroughly after handling Newts.
Oh great, what a waste. I just had to chuck my dinner (battered newt and chips) in the bin… Still, thanks for saving my life! 🙂