Resources Last updated 10/21/05 

Amphibian Escort Service

Local amphibians—temperate salamanders, frogs & toads—must hibernate either on land or aquatically to survive the harsh effects of freezing conditions. As winter gives way to spring, warming, lengthening days and rainy nights spur amphibian reproductive activity, which triggers movement to find mates and suitable egg laying habitat.

Some local amphibians—notably Spotted Salamanders, Jeffersons-complex Salamanders and Wood Frogs—move rather long distances (up to a mile in some cases) to breed. In our ever-developing region this means crossing busy roads to get from woods to waters. Not an easy task for a critter that weighs little, moves slowly and lacks any kind of crush protection from oncoming traffic... Needless to say, roadway amphibian mortality during the breeding season is very high, placing additional burden on sensitive populations.

In response, the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, Hudson River Estuary Program created the Amphibian Migrations and Road Crossings Project for volunteers to help “escort” migrating amphibians across roads safely. Locally, Jackie Broder, Director of the Mamakating Environmental Education Center (MEEC) on South Road in Westbrookville organized eager participants in March to “escort” amphibians across busy roads in the Basha Kill. Dr. Walter Jahn, a biology instructor from OCCC provided species recognition training via Zoom. Once a suitable, relatively warm, wet night was determined, volunteers equipped with flashlights, safety vests, notepads and pails would met along Haven and South Roads to gently shuttle amphibians in the direction they were heading.

Scott Graber and I teamed up on March 23, 2023 following a Sullivan Audubon meeting to lend a hand. That night we tended to 84 live and identified 13 dead amphibians on our stretch of Haven Road between 8:45 pm and 10:15 pm. Collectively, MEEC volunteers over the next few nights tallied 431 live and 79 dead specimens. Surely the number of dead examples would have been MUCH higher without this program!

Overall, helped to safety were:
91 Spotted Salamanders,
17 Jeffersons-complex Salamanders,
14 Newts, 3
4 Red-backed Salamanders,
plus 55 Wood Frogs,
213 Spring Peepers,
1 American Toad,
2 Green Frogs,
2 Pickerel Frogs
and 2 Bull Frogs.

Casualties included
6 Spotted Salamanders,
2 Jeffersons-complex Salamanders,
5 Newts,
3 Red-backed Salamanders,
3 Green Frogs,
3 Pickerel Frogs
and 55 Spring Peepers.

Participation in the Road Crossings Project is a great way to actively improve our environment. It doesn't cost much, builds camaraderie, and helps protect a vital part of our ecosystem. For more information check out the NYSDEC website and be sure to set aside some time next spring to join an amphibian escort service near you!
Bill Cutler