The spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) is seldom seen, but when I do see them, they’re usually walking across roadways in early spring. In fact, I rarely see them anywhere else.
The salamander’s black and yellow color scheme provides impeccable camouflage against the asphalt and the yellow paint. Clearly, this animal evolved specifically for crossing roads.
We can thus use the salamander’s evolutionary history to understand its psychology- it crosses roads because it likes to be on the road. The road is its home, hence the camouflage. So whenever I see one getting confused and walking away from the road, I always pick it up and put it back to safety near the centerline. Don’t try this at home though, I’m only allowed to interact with them because I’m basically an expert.
