Description: 7-10 in. (18-25 cm). This very large, robust salamander is black to brown in coloration with light yellow or olive colored spots on back and sides. The belly is yellowish with brown spots.
Range and Habitat: The Tiger Salamander is only known from a few scattered locations in North Carolina's coastal plain. They are highly defendant on sandhills and pine savannas with temporary wetlands.
Habits: This burrowing salamander spends most of its life deep in burrows in sandy soil. Because of this, Tiger Salamanders are very rarely encountered except in the breeding season when they migrate to temporary ponds to lay their eggs.
Breeding: Breed in very early spring or winter, laying large clumps of eggs in temporary ponds in pine savannas. 
Status: This species is listed as Threatened in North Carolina. It is rare and declining due to habitat loss.

Range of the Tiger Salamander in the Carolinas and Virginia