Virtual Keeper Talk: Caecilians

Meet our caecilians and Amazonia keeper Mike Kirby in this virtual animal demo!
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With a sleek, eel-like body and beady eyes, the aquatic caecilian is quite an unusual amphibian. They look like a cross between a snake and an eel, but they are neither. Just like frogs and salamanders, caecilians are amphibians. They are native to the Amazon River Basin in South America and spend their entire lives in the water. 

There are some key differences between caecilians and other species of amphibians. Many amphibians can exchange oxygen through their skin via a specialized membrane, but caecilians do not. Their skin is quite thick, and they must come to the surface to take breaths of air. Juveniles take breaths more frequently, about every five to 10 minutes. Adults, however, can hold their breath between 20 to 30 minutes at a time. 

Want to help amphibians? Pay attention to where the goods you purchase come from. When you avoid goods that are produced by excessive agricultural practices (such as clear-cutting of forests), you help preserve the sensitive habitats amphibians call home.