ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PROFILE

YEAR PLACED ON LIST: 1997

CRITICAL HABITAT: None

RECOVERY PLAN: 2005

RANGE: Four spring outlets from Barton Springs in Austin, Texas

THREATS: Degradation of water quality and quantity in Barton Springs due to urban development and pesticide contamination; increased UVB radiation; acid rain; and disease

POPULATION TREND: The number of Barton Springs salamanders dropped dramatically from the 1970s, when hundreds of salamanders were seen, to 1992, when only a handful could be located. During recent surveys, 274 salamanders were observed in Barton Springs’ four hydrologically connected pools.