Salamanders are important indicator species. They are very susceptible to toxins and pollutants, so their presence can help scientists understand how healthy a habitat may or may not be.
In the late winter and early spring, the amphibians make an annual migration from their winter homes in the woods to seasonal ponds, known as vernal pools, where they mate and lay eggs. Salamanders will make the move in fits and spurts, but there are usually one or two nights where they move en masse.
MetroParks of Butler County has been monitoring the salamander migration at Indian Creek MetroPark in Reily Township near Oxford, and led a nighttime hike there Sunday. It’s part of the organization’s “Nature in a Blink” series that aims to highlight fleeting natural occurrences.
“People want to care for our environment once they understand it,” says Programming and Events Outdoor Educator PJ Arnold. “Once the public sees salamanders up close and learns more about them, they are more likely to care what happens to them and the role they can play in protecting them.”…