Welcome to the first edition of our new Nature Unseen newsletter! Growing up in California, I always loved redwood trees. But as a kid I had no idea there were fern mats up in those tall treetops that supported all kinds of life. And I certainly didn’t know that an intrepid little creature, the wandering salamander (Aneides vagrans) could spend its entire life up in a redwood tree, skydiving (yes, you read that right) as needed! When I found out about new research into wandering salamanders a couple of years back, I knew I HAD to make this story. Now it’s your turn to take a dive – into this week’s newsletter – to learn about these masters of skydiving. You’ll never look at a redwood tree the same way again!
When a hungry bird comes near them, wandering salamanders can jump off the tallest trees in the world, California's coast redwoods, skydiving to a safe branch. Researchers decided to put them in a wind tunnel to investigate their daring moves in slow motion.
Photo: Will Goldenberg
The researchers found out how salamanders use their tails to navigate, and that their toes help them stick their landing.
NPR A Photographer Captures Life in America’s Last Remaining Old-Growth Forests
From salamanders and salmon to bears and mountain lions, David Herasimtschuk's images illustrate not only the beauty of the forests and their creatures but the symbiotic relationships that are vital to the forests’ health and the planet’s welfare.
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- The Deep Look Team
Deep Look is KQED’s award-winning wildlife video series that reveals the tiny dramas playing out in the natural world. We’re a member-supported YouTube series from KQED and PBS Digital Studios. Learn more.
ANSWER TO NAME THAT CRITTER
A gecko! No suction cups, no Velcro, no glue. Geckos navigate nearly any surface with something far cooler: an electron dance at the atomic scale. Find out more in our video Gecko Grip: It’s Atomic (Really). GIF: A close-up of the foot of a Sikora’s leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus sikorae) is shown walking on a branch at the California Academy of Sciences.
