The Cold Blooded Myth
Salamanders are often referred to as cold blooded animals. This is actually incorrect. Salamanders, along with other amphibians and reptiles, are ectothermic. This means that they generally have to rely on the environment as a heat source and for the most part cannot generate their own internal body heat. Despite this, ectotherms are brilliantly adapted to absorbing and retaining enough heat to operate at an optimal temperature.
However, the term cold blooded is still widespread, and it carries with it very negative stigmas. The worst of these is the belief that so called cold blooded animals cannot feel pain. This incorrect assumption has been used by many individuals to justify the cruelty and exploitation they inflict on these animals.
The Science of Pain in Salamanders
Salamanders are vertebrate animals that are sentient beings, just like dogs and cats, and are fully capable of experiencing pain and suffering. This is known through the documented presence of nociceptors (specialized nerve cells that detect harmful stimuli) and a Central Nervous System, as well as the direct connection between nociceptors and the CNS.
According to research by L.K. Machin (1999 and 2001), amphibians have shown clear behavioral responses to painful stimuli and have also shown measurable responses to pain relieving medications. More recent studies have confirmed that amphibians exhibit protective behaviors when injured, including guarding wounded areas, reduced activity, and changes in feeding behavior.
Why This Matters
The ability for salamanders to experience pain and suffering is an important fact to consider when thinking about conservation and welfare. Salamanders are used by the millions each year in classroom dissections, are collected from the wild for the pet trade, are used as fishing bait, and in some regions are harvested for food. In all of these situations, the animals experience real suffering.
Understanding that salamanders feel pain should change the way we think about and interact with these animals. Each individual salamander has the capacity to suffer, and this deserves our respect and consideration.