“Salamanders—the tailed amphibians—have long inspired folklore and fascinated many: species like the Mexican axolotl can regenerate missing limbs and the Chinese giant salamander is the largest amphibian on Earth. Yet these amphibians are threatened with extinction more than any other vertebrate and much is still to be learned about how best to protect them. Crump does a superb job of piquing our curiosity about these intriguing animals and enlightening us about what their potential loss could mean to both humanity and the natural ecosystems in which salamanders exist.”

Susan Walls, research wildlife biologist and former president of the Herpetologists’ League

“Elegant, authoritative, and full of surprises, Salamander offers a vivid portrait of creatures that are far more fascinating, important, and stranger than most of us realize. Crump is the ideal guide to these elusive animals: scientifically rigorous, warmly observant, and alive to their mystery.”

Emily Taylor, professor of biological sciences, California Polytechnic State University, and author of "California Amphibians and How to Find Them"