Hi there! I’m a 23-year-old wildlife enthusiast & Naturalist from Western Maryland. My passion for capturing the beauty of nature led me to create this space dedicated to my photography adventures. Join me as I explore the wild landscapes and incredible creatures of our planet, all through the lens of my trusty Nikon D500.
Let’s embark on this journey together!
Follow Brave Otter Biology on Instagram for daily doses of nature’s beauty. I share real-time updates, captivating photos, and insightful descriptions of the incredible creatures I encounter on my adventures.
Top-down 39 | The Three-lined Salamander (Eurycea guttolineata)
As common as they are, this was a species I had yet to see, making it a great bonus after our main Clemson morph target. This individual was a super clean lifer, with coloration much lighter than usual. With that, we’ll catch up again at our last main stop of the Blue Ridge Bonanza: Hickory Nut Gorge, NC.
• Three-lined Salamander (Eurycea guttolineata)
• May 19th, 2025 | Oconee County, SC
- Nikon D500 + 40mm Macro
- Cygnustech Diffuser w/ Flashpoint Speedlight
Top-down 38 | The Clemson Morph Southern Gray-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon metcalfi “clemsonae”)
Located near the border of the Carolinas is a population of Southern Gray Cheeks displaying brassy or silvery colored flecking, unlike the typical plain black dorsums you’d find elsewhere. Finding an individual completely shrouded with these metallic flecks is a dream of many herp enthusiasts, and while this guy wasn’t quite him, it was far above average, and we were blessed to have seen it so early in the night.
• Clemson Morph Southern Gray-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon metcalfi “clemsonae”)
• May 18th, 2025 | Oconee County, SC
- Nikon D500 + 40mm Macro
- Cygnustech Diffuser w/ Flashpoint Speedlight
Here’s a new infographic featuring one of Eurycea’s more well-known and charismatic species - The Cave Salamander (Eurycea lucifuga). Watching these troglophiles navigate slick, vertical surfaces with their prehensile tails never gets old.
Is the Cave Salamander one of your favorite species? If so, check the link in my bio to purchase this poster and show off this awesome animal!
• Cave Salamander (Eurycea lucifuga)
Top-down 37 | The Chattooga Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus perlapsus)
Woah woah woah, 6 dusky top-downs in a row? Oh yeah. This one was another lifer for @Franks_field_guide and I that we found in a small Cowee Mountain stream. An incredibly variable species - we found four individuals, each with a totally different look. On to our next main stop!
• Chattooga Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus perlapsus)
• May 18th, 2025 | Macon County, NC
- Nikon D500 + 40mm Macro
- Cygnustech Diffuser w/ Flashpoint Speedlight
On our way into South Carolina, we stopped by a small, rhododendron-shaded stream to pick up some easy Blue Ridge lifers. When in Rome. Here’s my first Southern Gray-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon metcalfi), which we quickly flipped in this habitat. This unassuming roadside creek ended up being one of our favorite stops of the trip, as the biodiversity and species richness were off the charts. Our next stop: a date with this salamander once again, rendezvousing in a completely different habitat.
• Southern Gray-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon metcalfi)
• May 18th, 2025 | Macon County, NC
- Nikon D500 + 40mm Macro
- Cygnustech Diffuser w/ Flashpoint Speedlight
The sun was beginning to peek over the Nantahala ridgeline, and while Frank was whippin the drone, I managed to fit in an hour or two of shut-eye.
Unfortunately, at some point during our long night of salamander hopping, Frank had lost a camera battery somewhere along the trail. That mishap ended up being my ticket to yet another lifer, as we flipped this Seepage Salamander while retracing our steps in search of the lost battery.
• Seepage Salamander (Desmognathus aeneus)
• May 18th, 2025 | Macon County, NC
- Nikon D500 + 40mm Macro
- Cygnustech Diffuser w/ Flashpoint Speedlight
Top-down 36 | The Ocoee Salamander (Desmognathus ocoee)
We had already seen our fair share of Ocoee Salamanders throughout the trip, from Pigeon Mountain, Georgia to the Tellico River in Tennessee. However, we were still searching for an individual that truly represented a Shermani mimic, with vibrant red legs. Our quest finally came to an end here in the Nantahalas, as this beauty was hanging out in a puddle that had settled in the middle of the trail. A killer way to end the night (or 5:00 a.m. in the morning), but believe it or not, we had another new species on the way in the next few hours.
• Ocoee Salamander (Desmognathus ocoee)
• May 18th, 2025 | Macon County, NC
- Nikon D500 + 40mm Macro
- Cygnustech Diffuser w/ Flashpoint Speedlight
Now that we were down in the lower elevations of the Nantahalas, we got our first good look at another nearly completely gray salamander: the Southern Appalachian Salamander (Plethodon teyahalee). These salamanders hybridize with Red-legged Salamanders in this area. However, we had still not found our main target for this stop.
• Southern Appalachian Salamander (Plethodon teyahalee)
• May 18th, 2025 | Macon County, NC
- Nikon D500 + 40mm Macro
- Cygnustech Diffuser w/ Flashpoint Speedlight
The Tellico Salamander is a species I was especially excited to feature in the infographic spotlight, as it’s not particularly well-publicized. Everything about these salamanders fires on all cylinders - the shimmering gold dorsal flecks, the stunning habitat, and the gorgeous river winding through their range all contribute to making this a truly unique salamander.
This Infographic and several others are now available to purchase as a 12” x 15” Posters. Check the link in my bio if you’re interested!
• Tellico Salamander (Plethodon aureolus)
It’s World Snake Day! My contribution to this underappreciated holiday features one of the hottest Timber Rattlesnakes I’ve come across in recent years - a fully blacked-out individual on a remote West Virginia overlook. Absolute stunner.
• Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)
• July 3rd, 2025 | Tucker County, WV
- Nikon D500 + Sigma 15mm Fisheye
- Diffuser Softbox w/ Flashpoint Speedlight
Top-down 35 | The Southern Blackbelly Salamander (Desmognathus amphileucus)
We bushwhacked through dense rhododendron to reach a small stream, hoping to find another brown giant. Also known as the Nantahala Blackbelly, this salamander was the first of many species we encountered that evening - what would turn into yet another sleepless night fueled by amphibious adrenaline, despite our tents already being set up. The $25 campsite fee ended up serving as little more than our ticket to a much needed shower.
• Southern Blackbelly Salamander
(Desmognathus amphileucus)
• May 18th, 2025 | Macon County, NC
- Nikon D500 + 40mm Macro
- Cygnustech Diffuser w/ Flashpoint Speedlight
We had just witnessed one of the best sunsets atop Wayah Bald in the Nantahala Mountains. By this point in the trip, we had fully become nocturnal animals, so we ventured into the wilderness and got back to salameandering.
We were here to see the Red-legged Salamander (Plethodon shermani)… or should I say sherMANY. Talk about local abundance - we had to watch every step to avoid the droves of these guys. This was one of the more notable individuals, as pure, vibrant red legs can sometimes be hard to find.
• Red-legged Salamander (Plethodon shermani)
• May 17th, 2025 | Macon County, NC
- Nikon D500 + 40mm Macro
- Cygnustech Diffuser w/ Flashpoint Speedlight
This infographic features one of the most iconic salamanders of the Blue Ridge - more specifically, the Great Smoky Mountains, where the Red-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon jordani), a species so rich in abundance, thrives in the cool, high-elevation understory of the Fraser fir and red spruce canopies. These forests hold the highest concentration of salamander biodiversity in the world.
This Infographic and several others are available to purchase as 12” x 15” Posters. Check the link in my bio if you’re interested!
• Red-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon jordani)
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The Guardian of Pigeon Mountain
This solitary Spring Salamander was by far the most stunning northern subspecies I’ve ever encountered. The aura it carried was unmatched as it stood proudly on its rock beneath the waterfall, almost as if it were watching over the Georgia endemics in its care…or maybe just browsing the menu. We gave this giant another nickname — The Creamsicle King, thanks to the beautiful orange that lit up its sides.
It wasn’t an easy catch, but @franks_field_guide and I pulled off a solid team effort to bring it home in the 4th quarter.
• Northern Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus p. porphyriticus)
• May 17th, 2025 | Walker County, GA
- Nikon D500 + 40mm Macro
- Cygnustech Diffuser w/ Flashpoint Speedlight
Nightfall was upon us, which meant it was time to climb in elevation and enter the habitat of one of the most beautiful salamanders in the United States, endemic to Northern Georgia — the Pigeon Mountain Salamander (Plethodon petraeus). This particular individual had a small patch of red at the base of its tail, an interesting mutation, as this species rarely exhibits that shade of color. It was my most anticipated Plethodon of the trip and a fitting end to our southern journey through the Blue Ridge Mountains. However, our night in Georgia was young, not to mention the drive back up north…
• Pigeon Mountain Salamander (Plethodon petraeus)
• May 16th, 2025 | Walker County, GA
- Nikon D500 + 40mm Macro
- Cygnustech Diffuser w/ Flashpoint Speedlight
At last, our journey had reached its southernmost point - Pigeon Mountain, Georgia. If you’re hip, you know exactly why we were there. But first, we did some spelunking for a species that doesn’t need the cover of darkness to get on the move. Enter the Cave Salamander (Eurycea lucifuga), an all-time classic, right up there with some of the greats. Forever and always a Eurycea man.
• Cave Salamander (Eurycea lucifuga)
• May 16th, 2025 | Walker County, GA
- Nikon D500 + 40mm Macro
- Cygnustech Diffuser w/ Flashpoint Speedlight
The Weller’s Salamander is truly a one-of-a-kind species, known for having some of the most distinctive dorsal patterns and coloration in the salamander world. They are primarily found along the Tennessee–North Carolina border and inhabit cool, high-elevation spruce-fir forests as well as adjacent hardwood habitats.
This Infographic and several others are available to purchase as a 12” x 15” Posters. Check the link in my bio if you’re interested!
• Weller’s Salamander (Plethodon welleri)
The Tellico River wasn’t high on my radar leading up to our Blue Ridge Salamander Trip. It wasn’t until I saw it in person and the incredible habitat it harbored that I truly fell in love. The river is also home to one of the most underrated species of Plethodon in the United States. Its Latin name translates to “gilded,” referring to the shimmering gold flecks scattered across its dorsum. This is the Tellico Salamander (Plethodon aureolus), and without a doubt, it was a top three species for me on the trip.
• Tellico Salamander (Plethodon aureolus)
• May 16th, 2025 | Monroe County, TN
- Nikon D500 + 40mm Macro
- Cygnustech Diffuser w/ Flashpoint Speedlight
“Trail of the Bear”— That’s what the Yonahlossee Salamander’s Native American name translates to, and it refers to the road where these Plethodons were first described. A world-renowned salamander and a true icon of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it is the largest species in the Plethodontidae family in North America. Living up to every bit of the hype, it’s one I’ll never forget encountering for the first time.
This infographic, as well as several others are currently available to purchase as posters! Check out the link in my Bio to order yours today!
• Yonahlossee Salamander (Plethodon yonahlossee)
Top-down 34 | The Spotted Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus conanti)
We had arrived at the beautiful Tellico River in Tennessee to search for one of the most underappreciated salamanders in the Eastern U.S. While waiting for the sun to set, we scrambled along a small roadside stream in search of more Desmognathus. It didn’t take long before wild man Frank secured this gorgeous Spotted Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus conanti), along with several seals. That kind of herping really brings you back to your roots—flipping rocks for hours in a stream as a kid, looking for anything you can get your hands on.
• Spotted Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus conanti)
• May 15th, 2025 | Monroe County, TN
- Nikon D500 + 40mm Macro
- Cygnustech Diffuser w/ Flashpoint Speedlight
