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'Giant7 SalamanderLooks Kinda PunyThe (cam of scientists (hat set out a week ago to capture Hie “giant salamander” or the Trinity Alps was bade home again today wlih a living trophy for its expeditionary efforts.It’s a salamander, all right, but not the eight-foot-long remnant of prehistoric limes that had been reported by fishermen.This salamander measures 13 Va inches from stem to stern.CAUSE for SUSPICION “We were a little suspicious of the reports,’1 said Dr. Thomas Rodgers, professor of zoology at Chico Stale College and a member of tiic band of hunters.“But the trip was worthwhile from a scientific standpoint,’’ Dr. Rodgers insisted.For one thing, he claimed the 1114-inch salamander for the museum at Chico State.And no matter how you figure, an llVfe-inch salamander still is a pretty good prize. SCOUTS HELP OUT The expedition was led by Rodgers, Dr. Robert C. Steb-bins of the University of California’s museum uf vertebrate zoology; and Dr. Nathan Cohen of Modesto Junior College.The scientists took ainng a team of Explorer Scouts to hustle up the grub and pitch the tents,“Several times the Scouts reported they had spotted the liugc amphibian lying beneath the surface of the waters of a mountain lake,” Dr. Rodgers said.OLD AS THE ALPS “But each time the 'find' turned out to be a submerged log,” he added.The big salamander talc isas old as the Trinity Alps.But when Vernon Harden of Pioneer, Calif., emerged from the woodlands last January with reports that lie had hooked the big reptile with a shark Jiook, interest was rekindled.Why lie was using a shark hook in mountain waters never was made clear. But it seemed plausible when Harden explained that he had to abandon I he big fight because of an approaching blizzard. NICE VACATION?But Dr. Rodgers was not bitter over the expedition’s failure to find the big reptile.lie and his associates had ample opportunity to do something they had been looking forward to—inspect first hand the Trinity species of snakes, lizards, frogs and turtles.And, as one of the Scouts pointed oul, the Alps are really beautiful at this time of year.
Newspaper Details
Oakland Tribune
Oakland, California, US
Mon, Sep 05, 1960
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Kevin S.
CA 27 Sep 2023
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