You are invited to attend the
OTTER CREEK AUDUBON SOCIETY
2016 SALAMANDER ESCORT
On evenings in early spring with the first relatively warm rains, salamanders and frogs move from upland wooded areas to breeding pools to mate and lay eggs. Often these migrations take the amphibians across roads. At a site in Salisbury, Otter Creek Audubon and the Salisbury Conservation Commission help these amphibians safely reach their destination, collect data on numbers and species, and raise public awareness of these migrations.
Important Guidelines for Data Gathering:
Learn how to identify all the amphibians (we will help you on site).
Make sure of your identification. If in doubt, ask someone with a clipboard. Do not guess.
Keep track of how many of each species you move and if they are alive or dead.
Be gentle with the amphibians. Handle as little as possible, preferably with moist hands.
Release all amphibians off dirt portion of road onto shoulder in direction they were headed.
Report your numbers to a data recorder with a clipboard before you start losing track.
Check under and around your car for amphibians when you leave.
Please approach the site and leave following the directions above to keep from adding to traffic over the crossing site.
Park outside the crossing area in the designated location.
Keep your eyes open for other crossing areas on your drive home and let us know if you find any.
We did not escort any Eastern Newts, like this one, but I hope to see them later this spring.
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