Major Road In Burlington To Be Closed For Salamander Migration
“King Road will be closed for approximately 4 weeks…
This is done to allow for endangered Jefferson salamanders to safely
travel during their breeding migration.
‘Together with Conservation Halton, the City of Burlington is very
proud of its efforts to aid in the survival & recovery of this rare
species,’ said Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward. ‘Since the first full road
closure in 2012, there has been no road mortality of Jefferson salamanders
observed by Conservation Halton staff during the road closure period.’
‘We are happy to play a small role in protecting the salamanders
while raising awareness about their endangered status,’ she said.
The Jefferson salamander is found in select areas in southern
Ontario forests, mostly along the Niagara Escarpment. They usually spend most
of their lives underground, &, as the weather warms, they emerge to migrate
& breed in temporary ponds formed by run-off.
Adult salamanders migrate to their breeding ponds during wet, rainy
nights, & are attracted to ponds in which they hatched, sometimes going out
of their way just to reach it.
‘The annual closure of King Road by the City of Burlington
reinforces Conservation Halton's promise to form partnerships, which enable us
to better protect our natural environment, in this case an endangered species,’
CAO of Conservation Halton Hassaan Basit said. ‘Our ecologists use monitoring
data to recommend the timing & duration of the road closure to maximize its
impact on the species while keeping disruption, due to the closure, down to the
minimum.’
‘Our monitoring has shown a measureable positive impact on the
Jefferson salamander population due to these once-a-year road closures. I would
like to thank the city & community. Their efforts are helping in the
recovery of this species,’ he said.
The species is protected at both provincial & national levels,
& was added to Ontario's endangered species list in 2011. They are usually
grey or brown on the back, with lighter under-parts, & can be up to 12 to
20 cm long, with a life span of 30 years…”
Damian Ali
www.inhalton.com
March 11/2019
Cute Critter Pic
Weekly Chuckle
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