CCARI's Debut
Saturday, April 21st, 2001

The initial meeting of the Central Carolina Amphibian and Reptile Initiative (CCARI) was at Cowan’s Ford Wildlife Refuge in Huntersville, NC.

A juvenile worm snake, the most common snake found

Thirty-five people attended from both North and South Carolina.

Some of the organizations represented included:

• North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences
• North Carolina Herpetological Society
• Duke Power
• Clemson University
• Francis Marion University
• Belmont Abbey College
• Charlotte Latin School
• North Carolina Wildlife Federation
• Mecklenburg Audubon Society
• North Carolina DENR Division of Water Resources
• Catawba Covekeepers
• Mecklenburg County Department of Environmental Protection
• The Town of Davidson
• Davidson IB School
• Savannah River Ecology Laboratory
• Davidson College
• Mecklenburg County Division of Natural Resources

Wrenn Martin helps Doug Taylor pull a large rat snake from a woodpile

Mecklenburg County’s Division of Natural Resources and Davidson College hosted the event.

A brief introduction to the wildlife refuge and the objectives of CCARI was followed by several hours spent in the field searching for amphibian and reptiles.

Enthusiastic participant sporting the CCARI t-shirt

Five search groups documented twenty-four species of reptiles and amphibians at the refuge. The day was a success with more than 100 individual records added to the CCARI regional database. Two additional species, both aquatic turtles, were seen from a distance but species level identification was not confirmed.

Highlights from the day included a new species record - Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber) for the wildlife refuge, a large 6’ 1” black rat snake, a red eft (newt life-stage previously undocumented), and a grand total of 7 salamander species.

The data that was collected and the partnerships that were formed during the event will help CCARI achieve its ultimate goal of protecting and conserving amphibian and reptile species throughout the Central Carolina region.

We want to say THANKS to everyone for participating. We hope to work with you again on future CCARI endeavors.

JD Willson, Shane Lindsay, and Kristine Grayson measuring a large rat snake

Amphibians 15 species

Mole Salamanders - Ambystomatidae
Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)
Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)

Newts - Salamandridae
Red-Spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens)

Lungless Salamanders - Plethodontidae
Northern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus fuscus)
White-spotted Slimy Salamander (Plethodon cylindraceus)
Northern Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber)
Southern Two-Lined Salamander (Eurycea cirrigera)

Toads - Bufonidae
Fowler's Toad (Bufo woodhouseii)

Tree Frogs - Hylidae
Northern Cricket Frog (Acris crepitans)
Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)
Upland Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseriata)

True Frogs - Ranidae
Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)
Green Frog (Rana clamitans)
Southern Leopard Frog (Rana utricularia)
Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris)

Reptiles 9 species

Spiny Lizards - Phrynosomatidae
Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus)

Skinks - Scincidae
Five-lined Skink (Eumeces fasciatus)
Ground Skink (Scincella lateralis)

Non-Venomous Snakes - Colubridae
Worm Snake (Carphophis amoenus)
Black Racer (Coluber constrictor)
Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus)
Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta)
Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon)
Brown Snake (Storeria dekayi)

JD Willson and Kevin James returning from the field