Known for being one of the most toxic animals in the United States, the California Newt contains a lethal neurotoxin in its skin that is often fatal to would be predators. | Coyote Peterson

California newts Like many bright colored animals, this coloration serves as a warning to predators not to eat them. Unlike rattlesnakes which are venomous, newts are poisonous which means you would obtain the toxins from digesting them. Their tetrodotoxin is similar to pufferfish and would easily kill a human. They are a very unique a cool species to be able to see here in Orange County with their range being mostly concentrated to the Santa Ana Mountains. Newts can live underwater and out of w

☔ Feeling cooped up? We know some critters who love the rain: newts! Red-bellied newts (Taricha rivularis) and rough-skinned newts (Taricha granulosa) to be precise – such as these seen here at Mark West Creek Regional Park and Open Space Preserve. Thanks to Parks for All – Measure M funding, we’re closely tracking red-bellied newt activity at this park. They are a California Species of Special Concern and are an important indicator species, meaning that changes in population can be indicative o