The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission's exhibit promotes reptile and amphibian conservation.

Learn about the ecological importance of snakes, turtles, frogs, toads, salamanders and lizards.

Touch a live snake!

Get a close-up view of a spotted salamander

Reptile and Amphibian Day

Snakes, turtles, frogs, oh my . . .

More than 140 species of salamanders, frogs, toads, snakes, turtles and lizards, as well as the American alligator, call North Carolina home. While some people may not find them appealing, everyone should respect the ecological importance of these animals. In addition to controlling populations of insects and rodents, amphibians and reptiles serve a vital role in the food web and are important environmental indicators of overall habitat health.

That is the message the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission promotes each year during Reptile and Amphibian Day, a one-day event held every March at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh.

The free event, which draws thousands of people each year, highlights the biology, ecology and conservation needs of reptiles and amphibians around the world. The Commission exhibit focuses on the many species of frogs, toads, salamanders, snakes and turtles, commonly called “herps,” found in North Carolina.

Attendees who stop by the exhibit get a close-up view of some common herps in North Carolina, such as Eastern kingsnakes, spotted salamanders, painted turtles, green anoles and southern leopard frogs, just to name a few. Some intrepid visitors even muster up the courage to touch a live snake.

The Commission supports the event to dispel myths and misconceptions about reptiles and amphibians in general and snakes in particular.

For instance, snakes are not slimy, and all snakes are “good” snakes, even the venomous ones.

“Snakes use one or more of a variety of methods to subdue and kill their prey, including grasping and swallowing quickly, constriction and delivering venom,” said Jeff Hall, a herpetologist for the Commission. “Just because the third method involving venom can be potentially dangerous to humans does not mean these snakes are bad.

Snakes are not out to ‘get’ people, but on the contrary are excellent hunters of mice and other rodents which can be health hazards for humans.”

Visitors can also learn about some the projects Commission staff are working on to conserve reptile and amphibians in North Carolina. Bog turtles, green salamanders and seaturtles are just a few animals benefiting from conservation work conducted by Commission biologists and funded through dollars given to the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Fund.