Question
QUESTION: Help! I am being overrun by salamanders in our ponds. How do I get rid of them?

ANSWER: Hi Nancy,
Thanx for your question.  Can you answer these questions for me please.

1.  Where are you located?
2.  Have you had this problem before?
3.  Did the salamanders originate in your pond or have they become attracted to your pond and are now gathering there?
4.  Do you have fish in the pond?
5.  When you say overrun, I'm thinking that there are so many in the pond that's all you see.  Are they causing a problem?  There is obviously a plentiful food supply otherwise they would leave or some would leave.  Salamanders feed mostly on insects and anything smaller than themselves.  What kinds of problems are they causing.
thx,
Tom

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Tomn,
We live in Colorado at about 9,000 feet. It is a pond for irrigation of a small private golf course. The pond is about 50'X20'. The salamanders are plugging up the intake of the irrigation pumps. There are 100's of them (it seems). They have this problem every year. (We are new here and trying to figure out how to stop this infestation.) There are no fish in the pond. Any ideas??? Thanks, Nancy

Answer
Hi Nancy,
Thanx for the additional information.  There are no predators in your pond so the salamanders are having a population explosion.  Will the pond accommodate fish?  Obviously, salamanders are living in it so it probably will right?  I would introduce native fish which will eat the eggs and tadpoles of the salamanders and this will help keep the population down. That would be my suggestion.  I hope this helps.  You cold also introduce koi or feeder goldfish (from a bait store).  The feeders should be hardy enough to stand the winter.  I hope this helps.
Tom