Facebook Live – Ask an Expert: Salamanders – February 2, 2021

Purdue University’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources hosted a Facebook Live event on March 16, 2021, titled “Ask An Expert: Salamanders,” featuring wildlife specialists discussing amphibian biology, and conservation.

The session included Dr. Rod Williams, Professor of Wildlife Science at Purdue University; Nick Burgmeier, Research Biologist and Wildlife Extension Specialist with Purdue’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources; and Dr. Spencer Cortwright from IU Northwest, who collectively addressed audience questions about salamander species, habitats, and environmental threats.

As part of Purdue Extension’s ongoing “Ask the Expert” series, the event aimed to educate the public on wildlife topics through accessible, science-based discussions streamed via the university’s official Facebook page.

Viewers were invited to submit questions about salamanders and related natural resource topics, with the experts covering subjects such as species identification, life cycles, and the ecological role of amphibians in forest and aquatic ecosystems.

The discussion also highlighted conservation challenges facing salamander populations, including habitat loss, pollution, and disease, aligning with broader research efforts by Purdue’s wildlife extension team to support biodiversity in Indiana and beyond.