Assessment Results
Salamandra algira
North African Fire Salamander
Salamandra Norteafricana, Salamandre Algire, Salamandre Tachetée
Order:
Caudata
Family:
Salamandridae
Synonym(s):
Assessed for:
Morocco
on:
16 Apr 2026
by:
Devin Edmonds
Authors:
Abdellah Bouazza, Aziza Lansari, Benjamin Tapley, Olivier Marquis, Gerardo García
IUCN Global Red List:
Vulnerable (VU)
National Red List:
(not assessed)
Distribution:
Algeria, Morocco, Spain, Tunisia
Evolutionary Distinctiveness score:
14.53116851
Recommended Conservation Actions:
Additional Comments:
| Question # | Short Name | Question Text | Response | Comments |
| 1 | Extinction risk | Current IUCN Red List category. [Data obtained from the IUCN Red List.] | Vulnerable (VU) | |
| 2 | Possibly extinct | Is there a strong possibility that this species might be extinct in the wild? | No / unlikely | |
| 3 | Phylogenetic significance | The taxon’s Evolutionary Distinctiveness (ED) score, as generated by the ZSL EDGE program. (These data are not editable by Assessors). | ED value < 20 | |
| 4 | Protected habitat | Is a population of at least 50% of the individuals of the taxon included within a well-managed or reliably protected area or areas? | No / unlikely | It often occurs in distrubed forest outside formally protected zones, and overall there are more populations outside protected areas than within. Subspecies specific notes: S. a. atlantica occurs in Tazekka National Park in the Middle Atlas Mountains. Its range is small and relatively localized. S. a. spelaea is known from Béni-Snassen Protected Area, though most records are in a valley adjacent to the park. The surrounding land is not highly suitable for intensive agriculture or grazing, so even though most populations are outside of protected habitat, they may not be at immediate threat from habitat loss. S. a. tingitana: Occurs in two protected areas in northern Morocco (Tangier–Tetouan region, including Jebel Mousa). A river separates viviparous and oviparous populations. The area is experiencing pressure from wind turbines and agricultural expansion. S. a. splendens: Occurs mainly in the central Rif region outside of protected areas. |
| 5 | Habitat for reintroduction, conservation translocation or supplementation | Does enough well-managed and reliably protected habitat exist, either within or outside of currently protected areas that is suitable for conservation translocation, including population restoration or conservation introduction? | Yes / probably | It occupies human-made streams, and as such there are likely former historic localities and unoccupied sites throughout its range where it could be introduced if waterways were restored or created. However, in the Middle Atlas and eastern populations, climate change is a major concern due to increasing aridity and reduced water availability, also from intensive agriculture for fruit trees, so habitat creation would have to be balanced with these other demands. |
| 6 | Previous reintroductions | Have reintroduction or translocation attempts been made in the past for this species? | No | |
| 7 | In situ conservation activities | Are any in situ conservation actions currently in place for this species? (Only required if a Red List Assessment has not been completed, or if new actions have been implemented since the last Red List Assessment. (Information from the Conservation Actions section of the Red List assessment should be reviewed and considered when answering this question.). | No / unlikely | However, the species is legally protected under national legislation, specifically Loi n° 29-05. |
| 8 | In situ conservation activities | Are additional in situ conservation actions required to help conserve this species in the wild (e.g. habitat restoration and/or protection, control of invasive species, national legislation etc.)? | Yes / probably | Mitigate habitat degradation, stream pollution, and mortality from road traffic during migrations. |
| 9 | In situ research | Is additional in situ research required to better understand the species, e.g. distribution, population trends, natural history etc.? | Yes | Research is especially needed for rare and localized populations (e.g., Beni Snassen, Middle Atlas) and their distributional limits. Research questions involve examining population connectivity, gene flow among fragmented populations, barriers between subspecies, long-term viability of small isolated populations, and continued disease surveillance. The genus is also highly susceptible to Bsal and research on this threat in S. algira would be beneficial. |
| 10 | Threat mitigation | Are the threats facing the taxon, including any new and emerging threats not considered in the IUCN Red List, potentially reversible? | Threats are likely to be reversible in time frame to prevent further decline / extinction | Threats like road mortality and local pollution can be addressed through targeted mitigation strategies. Water extraction for agriculture (especially fruit trees) and for groundwater use are more challenging, though it is plausible habitat restoration and improved water management strategies could be used to respond. Climate change represents the largest, uncertain threat that may be difficult to address, but in the short-term will not cause extinction. It is also important to note that the genus Salamandra is highly susceptible to Bsal, though this threat and its potential future impact if introduced has not been evaluated in S. algira. |
| 11 | Over-collection from the wild | Is the taxon suffering from collection within its natural range, either for food, for the pet trade or for any other reason, which threatens the species’ continued persistence in the wild? | Yes / probably | The species is threatened by collection for the pet trade |
| 12 | Population recovery | Is the known population of this species in the wild large enough to recover naturally, without ex situ intervention if threats are mitigated? | Yes / probably | |
| 13 | Action plans | Does an Action Plan for the species already exist, or is one currently being developed? | No | |
| 14 | Biological distinctiveness | Does the taxon exhibit a distinctive reproductive mode, behaviour, aspect of morphology or physiology, within the Order to which it belongs (e.g. Anura, Passeriformes etc.)? | Aspect of biology identified that is unique to species | S. algira is the only caudate that shows intraspecific variation in reproductive mode. Populations in the northwest (S. a. tingitana) are viviparous while populations further south across the Oued Laou River are larviparous. This mixed-strategy within a single species is extremely uncommon. Only a handful of caudates share any form of viviparity, most are other Salamandra (e.g., S. salamandra bernardezi, S. atra, and S. lanzai), and none have the same within-species reproductive strategy that S. algira does. |
| 15 | Cultural/socio-economic importance | Does the taxon have a special human cultural value (e.g. as a national or regional symbol, in a historic context, featuring in traditional stories) or economic value (e.g. food, traditional medicine, tourism) within its natural range or in a wider global context? | No | |
| 16 | Scientific importance | Is the species vital to current or planned research other than species-specific ecology/biology/conservation within the Order to which it belongs (e.g. Anura, Passeriformes etc.) e.g. human medicine, climate change, environmental pollutants and conservation science? | Research dependent upon species | The species is one of the few organisms that can be used for research on the evolution of viviparity, as few others have the intrapsecific reproductive plasticity as S. algira. |
| 17 | Ex situ research | Does conserving this species (or closely related species) in situ depend upon research that can be most easily carried out ex situ? | No | |
| 18 | Ex situ conservation activities | Is any ex situ research or other ex situ conservation action currently in place for this species? (Information from the Conservation Actions section of the Red List assessment should be reviewed and considered when answering this question.) | No / unlikely | |
| 19 | Husbandry analog required | If an ex situ rescue program is recommended for this species, would an analog species be required to develop husbandry protocols first? | No / unlikely | |
| 20 | Husbandry analog | Do the biological and ecological attributes of this species make it suitable for developing husbandry regimes for more threatened related species? i.e. could this species be used in captivity to help to develop husbandry and breeding protocols which could be used for a similar, but more endangered species at a later stage? | No | |
| 21 | Captive breeding | Has this species been successfully bred and/or maintained in captivity? | Yes, bred to F2 | Kept and bred by private breeders |
| 22 | Conservation education/ecotourism potential | Is the species especially diurnal, active or colourful, or is there an interesting or unusual aspect of its ecology that make it particularly suitable to be an educational ambassador for conservation of the species in the range country, either in zoos or aquariums or within ecotourism activities? | Yes | Its coloration and unique biology make it an ideal "ambassador" for North African forest conservation. |
| 23 | Mandate | Is there an existing conservation mandate recommending the ex situ conservation of this taxon? | No | |
| 24 | Range State approval | If an ex situ initiative was proposed for this species, would it be supported (and approved) by the range State (either within the range State or out-of-country ex situ)? | Yes / probably | |
| 25 | Founder specimens | Are sufficient animals of the taxon available or potentially available (from wild or captive sources) to initiate an ex situ program, if one was recommended? | Yes / probably | |
| 26 | Taxonomic status | Has a complete taxonomic analysis of the species in the wild been carried out, to fully understand the functional unit you wish to conserve (i.e. have species limits been determined)? | Yes | Five subspecies are formally recognized: S. a. atlantica, S. a. spelaea, S. a. splendens, S. a. tingitana, and S. a. algira |
Citation:
Abdellah Bouazza, Aziza Lansari, Benjamin Tapley, Olivier Marquis, Gerardo García 2026. Conservation Needs Assessment for Salamandra algira, Morocco
(Devin Edmonds).
https://conservationneeds.org/assessment/7336
Accessed 27 Apr 2026
