Phénologie et domaine vital de la salamandre terrestre Salamandra salamandra terrestris (Amphibia, Caudata) dans un bois du Pays de Herve (Belgique)

The aim of this study was to approach some aspects of the life-history of the fire salamander Salamandra s. terrestris in a small wood of the Vesdre Valley (Liege Province, Belgium). In 1996, 189 salamanders were marked and 68 recaptured. Their cartographic position and the meteorological conditions were noted.

Salamanders were active from March to October, mated from May to August and females gave birth to larvae in March-April. Only a small part of the population was active at the same moment. Salamanders were generally faithful to a home range, in spite of some erratic individuals, and are apparently non-territorial. They moved principally along a path.

The population is important but strongly threatened by the perturbation of its environment: stream drying, clearing and forest fire.