A spotted salamander somehow made it through our sump pump system at work. I have moved him into a tank with mulch, water, and food. I want to release him back onto the property in the spring. We have a large property with woods, creeks, and a stocked pond. I would like to know how to release him back into the wild, what time of spring is best, and what type of area I should place him in.

Thanks,

How is the salamander doing? Wait until the threat of a hard frost has passed before you release the salamander. They burrow under logs and large rocks in deciduous forests. It sounds like you have the right habitat. Ponds stocked with fish are not suitable breeding habitat. So release the salamander near the water, but not in the pond. It will find its way to the habitat that best suits it.