West Virginia is home to 87 known species of amphibians and reptiles, including 34 types of salamanders and 20 types of snakes.

Amphibians (like frogs and salamanders) have moist skin and lay eggs covered in a jelly-like substance. Their sensitive skin makes them vulnerable to water and soil pollution and changes in climate. Frogs and toads range from the tiny cricket frog to the large bullfrog. Salamanders range from the tin, four-inch four-toed salamander to the nearly two-foot-long hellbender. The Cheat Mountain salamander is endemic (found only here) and is the only amphibian on the federal endangered species list in the state.

Reptiles have scales and lay eggs with membranes, allowing them to live in drier, tougher habitats than amphibians. Turtles range from the common aquatic snapping turtle to the terrestrial box turtle. Lizards are common, like the five-lined skink (sometimes called a blue-tailed lizard). Of the 20 snake species in the state, only two are venomous: the timber rattlesnake (the official state reptile) and the northern copperhead (pictured).