Cheney Center

Pituophis catenifer catenifer

WHAT: The Pacific gopher snake is beige to light brown, with brown to black blotches covering its body and a dark band across its head.
WHERE: Mountains to lowlands, dry deserts to open conifer forests across the U.S.
SIZE: 2.5-7 ft.
EATS: Small to medium rodents, birds, chicks, eggs and other reptiles.
BABIES: Breeding from March-May results in 2-22 eggs laid in August. Hatchlings appear in late fall after a 50-85 day incubation.
STATUS: General: Common. Washington: State monitored.
FUN FACTS: The gopher snake is a good tree climber that actively searches for prey in burrows, dens and rocks.
When alarmed, it coils into an S-shape, hisses loudly and vibrates its tail rapidly on the ground to mimic a rattlesnake.

Anaxyrus boreas

WHAT: Western toads are generally large with oval shaped parotid glands located behind the eyes. Colors range from gray to green, with a bright light-colored stripe down the middle of the back. “Warts” are tinged with red and surrounded by black blotches. Males have a pale throat.
WHERE: Western toads are found along the Pacific Coast from BC, Canada to Baja California and in non-arid areas of the Western half of the US.
SIZE: Up to 2 in (5 cm)
EATS: The diet consists of insects and other small invertebrates.
BABIES:  Breeding starts in mid-April at low elevation sites in western Washington and in late April or early May at low elevation sites in eastern Washington. The male, by using its clasping thumb, stimulates the female to extrude 4000 to 8000 eggs and then fertilizes them externally. The eggs are laid in long gelatinous strings and are deposited in shallow waters. Tadpoles emerge as soon as 3 days after the eggs are laid. The larval stage lasts approximately two months as metamorphism occurs.
STATUS: Federal Species of Concern
FUN FACTS: When frightened, toads can increase their size by inflating air sacs inside the body. This allows toads to wedge themselves tightly in rock walls or burrows, making it very difficult for a predator to extract them.

Pseudacris regilla

WHAT: Small frog that varies in color, though will have a dark eye strip and rounded toe pads.  Females are larger than male.
WHERE: The Pacific Tree frog ranges from British Columbia, Canada to the tip of Baja California, México and eastward to Montana and Nevada.  They are found in every county in Washington.
SIZE: Up to 2 in (5 cm)
EATS: Insects and spiders.
BABIES: Breeding occurs November to July, commonly it will happen in spring, in water.  The male will vocalize to attract the female to the pool of water.  Females will group eggs together in a jelly like substance they are attached to grasses.  She can lay upwards of 700 eggs in one year.
STATUS: Secure.
FUN FACTS: One of the most fascinating characteristics of this little frog is its ability to change color. Unlike chameleons, which change their color to match their surroundings, the Pacific tree frog changes color based on the air temperature and humidity. The frogs don’t control this change; it just happens naturally within a few minutes. The color change is for exactly the reason you think — a defense mechanism to reduce the likelihood that the treefrog will become a meal for a bullfrog, raccoon, heron, snake, or other predator.

Taricha granulosa

WHAT: A stocky brown salamander with a bright orange to yellow underside, rounded snouts and rough skin.
WHERE: Moist forests, lakes, ponds and wetlands throughout the west coast of the U.S. and British Columbia.
SIZE: 4-7 inches
EATS: Worms, insects and other invertebrates.
BABIES: Breeding at different times depending on location, newts lay single eggs hidden in vegetation. They hatch in 5-10 weeks, and larvae metamorphose when around 1-3 inches.
STATUS: Secure.
FUN FACTS: When threatened, rough-skinned newts arch their heads toward their tails, which reveals their bright orange underside to warn predators that they are toxic.
Newts produce toxin inside their skin, rather than secreting it, so it is most dangerous when eaten. They can be safely handled but wash hands thoroughly afterwards.
Not many vertebrates can survive eating a rough-skinned newt – but the common garter snake is one that can, since the snakes can tell whether the newt’s toxin level is too high to feed on.

Ariolimax columbianus

WHAT: Bright yellow, or sometimes green, brown, spotted or white, the Pacific banana slug is the second-largest land slug in the world.
WHERE: Moist forest floors along the Pacific coast.
SIZE: Length 9.8 in.; weight 4.1 oz.
EATS: Leaves, animal droppings and dead plants.
BABIES: Breeding year-round. Slugs are hermaphrodites (can change sex), and after exchanging sperm with a mate they lay up to 75 translucent eggs (hiding them in logs or leaves). Then they abandon the clutch.
STATUS: Common.
FUN FACTS: Banana slugs are decomposers: they eat dead organic matter and recycle it into soil humus.
They especially love eating mushrooms, and spread the spores as they excrete.
They’re slow movers. Banana slugs travel at 6 ½ inches per minute – that’s .006 miles per hour.

Great Basin Spadefoot Toad

Spea intermontana

Population Status: Stable throughout their range.

Habitat: Found in semi-arid areas like dry grasslands, open woodlands, and shrubsteppe.

North American Range: Found in southern British Columbia through eastern portions of Washington and Oregon and in southern Idaho, extending through Nevada and Utah. They are also present in California, Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming.

Fact: Spadefoot toads are named due to the presence of shovel-like projections on their hind legs, which allow them to dig into sandy, loose soil. They can remain buried for months, helping them survive in dry climates.

Garter Snake

Thamnophis spp.

Population Status: Stable in Washington. Some North American subspecies and populations may be locally threatened due to habitat loss and other factors.

Habitat: Found in a variety of habitats including meadows, forests, wetlands, and suburban areas. They prefer areas with some cover, such as leaf litter and vegetation.

North American Range: Found throughout North America, from Canada to Central America.

Fact: There are three species of garter snakes found in western Washington – Common, Northwestern, and Western Terrestrial. Our garter snakes feature a wide range of coloration, including red, yellow, tan, turquoise, and green stripes and markings.