PRESS ROOM

ROYAL OAK, Mich., 

Dwarf sirens, a species of salamander rarely reproduced in captivity, overcame the odds in recent weeks when four eggs hatched at the Detroit Zoo’s National Amphibian Conservation Center.

“These animals are very difficult to breed in captivity – it typically takes changing the ion content of the water to mimic dilution from rainfall,” said Dr. Ruth Marcec, Director of the National Amphibian Conservation Center.  “Now that we’ve established that this is possible, we are very excited to increase the dwarf siren population at the Detroit Zoo.”

The dwarf siren salamander (Pseudobranchus axanthus) is the smallest of three siren species found in the southeastern United States.  Its dark, slender body grows between 4-6 inches in length and typically has faint stripes on the sides.  It has a triangular head, external gills and three toes on its two legs, located in the front of its body.

The dwarf siren lives in aquatic regions throughout Florida, southern Georgia and South Carolina.  This nocturnal species feeds on small invertebrates found in plant debris at the bottom of bodies of water. Although its conservation status is of “least concern”, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the dwarf siren population is declining due to habitat destruction.

While the adult dwarf sirens can be seen in the National Amphibian Conservation Center, the babies are presently living behind the scenes until they develop further. They are currently less than one inch in length.

Distinguished as the first major conservation facility dedicated entirely to conserving and exhibiting amphibians when it opened in 2000, the National Amphibian Conservation Center houses a spectacular diversity of frogs, toads, salamanders, newts and caecilians.  Dubbed “Disneyland for toads” by The Wall Street Journal, the award-winning, state-of-the-art facility is world renowned for amphibian conservation, care, exhibition and research.