Why did the spotted salamander cross the road?

Because the local police, environmental groups and concerned citizens closed the road nightly during breeding season!

My hometown and an adjoining one in my very urban/suburban/farm county closes our shared road to allow the ancient population of spotted salamanders to cross the road from their hibernation home to the vernal pond across the street. They lay large amounts of eggs which turn into tadpoles. Since the pool has no fish to eat the tadpoles, a successful change to adult salamander is in the bag! 

Hometown Hero: The Blue-spotted Salamander

New Jersey has more roads per square mile than any other state, which hampers the breeding migrations of many similar species. We've built overpasses over I-78 to allow for the migration of the furry, 4-legged creatures, but have been lagging on the under-road passes for the amphibians. 

Connecting Habitat Across New Jersey (CHANJ)

Today we received our official warning that nightly road closures may be in effect for a few roads. Unfortunately, due to climate change, this warning is now 3-4 weeks earlier than years ago. The nightly temperature has to be above 40F in order for the "Call of Nature" to arouse the hibernating salamanders. Still, nature is grand, and I greatly appreciate the extent to which our local governments go to assist in the heavy breathing of our tiny creatures!

Love is in the air! Happy Valentine's (week)Day



Comments

  1. OneKidsMomFebruary 10, 2024 at 7:16 AM

    Awesome! The sap is rising, and the critters are responding! What a great state resolve, to preserve nature as we humans encroach upon it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. MorticiaAddamsFebruary 10, 2024 at 7:44 AM

    Cool! I love these. New Jersey and Southern Illinois have something in common. We close a road in the Shawnee twice a year for the bi-annual snake migration. Salamanders I like, snakes I don't, so I have not been there during the snake migration ever but I have been to this area many times and am always on the lookout for copperheads, rattlesnakes, and cottonmouths/water moccasins. Most of the snakes are water moccasins but I have encountered all 3 in the Shawnee. Not cute like salamanders but they are protected, unlike years ago when my dad was hunting and killed a rattlesnake and kept the rattle. Happy Valentine's Day to your little friends and to you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ALICIA363February 10, 2024 at 11:36 AM

    TIL - Today I Learned what a salamander looks like. Kinda cute! So glad when the humans step aside and respect nature.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousFebruary 10, 2024 at 12:44 PM

    How nice that there is concern for those creatures!

    Happy Valentine's Day!

    ReplyDelete

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