Picture This: Salamander Safety 101

Three in hats. Two in t-shirts, two in rain jackets. Two wearing glasses. But what's one thing that all of these George Mason University students are wearing? Well-fitted, sterile, hypoallergenic, slightly moistened gloves.

Some creatures like salamanders absorb oxygen through their skin. Even small amounts of oils on our bare hands, as well as chemicals present in soaps, lotions, hand sanitizers, and first-aid supplies, can harm the delicate salamander.

These students participated in the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation’s two-week course CONS 440/540  Field Skills in Ecology course in Front Royal, Virginia, where they practiced ecological research techniques like habitat evaluation, sampling, and identifying wildlife populations.

Another must-do for salamander safety: If you must pick one up, put it back exactly where you found it!