Taricha sierrae
Silhouette: Neil Kelley · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
The Sierra newt (Taricha sierrae) is a newt found west of the Sierra Nevada, from Shasta county to Tulare County, in California, Western North America. Its adult length can range from 5 to 8 in (13 to 20 cm). Its skin produces a potent toxin.
Sierra Newts communicates with other through making a clicking noise. The Sierra newt was formerly regarded as a subspecies (Taricha torosa sierrae) of the California newt (Taricha torosa). In 2007 it was determined that the two represent "distinct evolutionary lineages". When looking at the Sierra Newt and California newt they possess different phenotypically. This is seen when looking at the head shape, color pattern, and the fact that patterns of differentiation in these characters are aligned with the genetic clines seen in the two newts.
Sierra newts exist primarily in between the Cascades and Sierra Nevada, up to about 2000m. They prefer less humid climates than the rough-skinned newts. The Sierra newt migrates between aquatic and terrestrial habitats seasonally. Outside the breeding season, the newts are land-dwelling, preferring rock crevices and logs, in habitats such as forests, woodlands, and... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Sierra Newt sighting in Yosemite National Park on a given day, based on 123 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 9 amphibians we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March
In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Sierra Newt in Yosemite National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August, the lowest month. That is one of Yosemite National Park's wettest months, with about 180 mm of rain against 25 mm in September.
Between 4 and 7 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Sierra Newt sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Sierra Newt sightings, Yosemite National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (United States, about 20%).
Same order: Caudata
The closest relatives of the Sierra Newt that you can see in Yosemite National Park (order Caudata, Salamanders) are Ensatina (about 10%) and Mount Lyell Salamander (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Sierra Newt is recorded against all the amphibians logged in Yosemite National Park (123 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
