WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) - On Tuesday, Colt Ewert from the Great Plains Nature Center introduced Tony during KSN's Wild Side segment. Tony is a barred tiger salamander, which is Kansas' state amphibian. According to Ewert, salamanders are essential in ecological research as they are what's known as an "indicator species." "Since they are amphibians, they are going to absorb a lot of things through their skin. So basically, when a scientist goes out, and they're surveying land, trying to see if it's healthy out there if you find a whole lot of these guys, it's a really good indicator that the environment is very clean," he said. "You're going to find them, sort of, under rocks and logs and like creeks and streams, just anywhere where they keep their skin nice and wet." Salamanders have to keep their skin wet because they breathe through it. "There are some salamanders that, even though they breathe air, they actually don't even have lungs," said Ewert. The barred tiger salamander is completely harmless as long as you don't eat them. However, if you find a salamander, try not to pick them up with your bare hands. Since they do breathe through their skin, they have very porous skin and humans have oils on their hands that can clog up their pores and make it difficult for them to breathe. Sedgwick County Zoo video shows elephant baby kicking its mother Kansas Day The GPNC is hosting a Kansas Day event on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. "At this free open-house-style event, you will enjoy learning some new favorite things about our organization and the beautiful state of Kansas," said the GPNC. During the event, guests can experience a walk with wildlife, art on the trail, Kansas trivia, crafts, games, and a 30-minute program about being home on the range that starts at 11 a.m. As Kansas celebrates 164 years, the first 164 families that visit the GPNC will receive a free Kansas-themed goodie bag. "Come learn all about what makes Kansas special and what makes the Great Plains Nature Center special," said the GPNC. Agents of Discovery app At the GPNC, families can also enjoy a free app called Agents of Discovery that allows parks nationwide to put out "missions" designed to encourage anyone to get out into the park and learn more about nature. GPNC visitors can use the app to participate in a virtual scavenger hunt around the park and within the nature center. "Imagine sort of like Pokémon Go but nature," said Ewert. There will be an award for those who complete the scavenger hunts. The app is available on both Google Play and Apple's App Store.