Category: Amphibians

Photos From the Field

Posted on by CWF
Oystercatcher Technician shows diversity of tasks in wildlife conservation

By Alfred Breed, CWF Technician

My official job title with Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey is  “American Oystercatcher Technician”.  As such I am tasked during nesting season with monitoring Oystercatcher nesting sites, and during migratory season with locating flocks of Oystercatchers, counting them, resighting marked birds in each flock, recording data of field survey results and reporting our NJ counts and resights to a central database that holds data from the other reporting states in the migratory flyway.

As is usually the case in any job that has a “description”, the phrase “and other such tasks as assigned” is included as a catch-all for things that aren’t specifically listed in the description, but can be an important part of the duties of the position nonetheless. In my case these ancillary tasks are different each day, and often involve three of my favorite things: wildlife (of course!), science, and gear.  Working around my Oystercatcher surveys, which can only be conducted at high tide, I might be tasked to go to a location anywhere in the state and survey for a particular species of plant or animal; or to site select, construct, install, use, maintain, and troubleshoot various types of data collection or other equipment throughout South Jersey.

Trucks, trailers, boats and kayaks are the big-ticket items that I use every day, but I’m lucky enough to use a large variety of other cool tools and equipment as well. Driving is often a big part of my day, with travel times between sites eating up significant portions of the workday.  Sometimes I’m a wildlife EMT or ambulance driver, saving sick or injured animals from their immediate predicament and/or transporting them to various certified rehabilitation facilities located throughout the state.

Best of all is when I’m asked to assist visiting scientists or other conservation partners in their work, which can mean bio-sampling or banding.  Direct human/wildlife interaction is only appropriate when it is  for valid scientific or conservation management purposes, and is sanctioned and a permit issued by the appropriate governing body.  To be a staff member and so to be included in these sanctioned and permitted activities is a rare privilege indeed.

Each day is different, always interesting, occasionally exciting, and always personally rewarding as I play a small part in the management of threatened and endangered wildlife and the habitat that we share.

CWF VOLUNTEERS GO “CAMP” ing

Posted on by larissasmith

RESULTS FROM THE 2012 SURVEY SEASON.

Northern Gray Treefrog © Thomas Gorman

By: Larissa Smith: Wildlife Biologist/Volunteer Manager

When people first hear the word CAMP they might think of going out in the woods and setting up a tent, but CWF’s CAMP project is all about monitoring New Jersey’s amphibian population. CAMP stands for the Calling Amphibian Monitoring Project.

In 2012 33 volunteers participated and surveyed a total of 33 routes out of 63. Volunteers conduct roadside surveys (after dusk) for calling amphibians along designated routes throughout the state. Each 15-mile route is surveyed three times during the spring. Each route has 10 stops, where volunteers stop, listen and record all frog and toad calls for 5 minutes.

In 2012 15 out of the 16 New Jersey amphibian species were detected. The only species not detected was the Eastern Spadefoot.  Northern Spring Peepers were the most common species detected on 31 of the routes while Green Frogs were detected on 22 routes.  Both the American Bullfrog and Southern Leopard Frog were heard on 16 of the routes.

In NJ there are four frog and toad species of conservation concern; the Southern gray Treefrog  is a state endangered species, the Pine Barrens Treefrog  is a state threatened species, and the Carpenter Frog and Fowler’s Toad are both  special concern species. The Southern Gray Treefrog was detected on 2 of the CAMP route, the Pine Barren Treefrog on 3 of the routes, the Fowler’s Toad on 13 of the routes and the Carpenter Frog on 7 of the routes.

CAMP data is entered into the North American Amphibian Monitoring  Program (NAAMP)  database housed by the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. All of the occurrence data for these species is  extracted from the NAAMP database, quality checked for validity, and entered into the Biotics database by CWF & ENSP staff. These data will then be used in future versions of the Landscape Project maps.  These maps are used by planners in various state, county, municipal and private agencies to avoid conflict with critical wildlife habitat.

Thank you to all CAMP volunteers!

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP IN 2013?

  • Twenty-five routes are available for the 2013 season
  • For more information on volunteering e-mail:  Larissa.Smith@conservewildlifenj.org

 

 

Observations of Rare Species Wanted!

Posted on by mikedavenport
NATURE WATCHING ISN’T JUST FUN, IT CAN BE USEFUL TOO

By Michael Davenport, Marine Species & GIS Programs Manager

Like many birdwatchers, although I still enjoy seeing the neighborhood cardinal in my yard, it’s the sightings of rarely encountered species, especially those classified as endangered, threatened, or special concern, which really keep my eyes scanning around during a hike.

Observations of Special Concern species, such as this Eastern Box Turtle, may be reported to the NJ Endangered Species Program. Photo by Mike Davenport.

Many birdwatchers, or nature enthusiasts of other species groups such as reptiles or butterflies, share their encounters with rare species on websites or bulletin boards.  In addition, several organizations, such as the Cornell Lab of Ornithology or NJ Audubon, recruit “citizen scientists” who collect species observation data and submit that data electronically via websites such as eBird.  That data is important for those organizations’ scientific research and assists scientists in analyzing population trends over years.  However, more often than not, it never finds its way to New Jersey’s state biologists nor the state regulators whose task it is to protect rare species habitat in the state.

The New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Program (ENSP) collects data for, not just rare birds, but all of the state’s endangered, threatened, and special concern species.  A Rare Wildlife Sighting Report Form is available on ENSP’s website for download as well as instructions for completing the form.  A complete list of all of the species tracked by the state can be downloaded here.

A map of the location of your observation, such as this one, should be sent with your Rare Wildlife Sighting Report Form.

Rare species data within the state’s database plays a critical role in wildlife and habitat conservation. It is the foundation of the NJ DEP’s Landscape Project, a GIS product that maps critical areas for imperiled species based upon species locations and land-use classifications. The resulting maps allow state, county, municipal, and private agencies to identify important wildlife habitats and protect them in a variety of ways. This information is used to regulate land-use within the state and assists in preserving endangered and threatened species habitat remaining in New Jersey.

Reporting your rare wildlife observation is easy.  Simply complete the form, attach a map of where the animal was observed, as well as any photographs taken, and then mail or e-mail the form and map to ENSP at the address provided on the form.  For more details about the state’s rare species mapping, please visit our webpage.

Photo from the Field

Posted on by CWF
HEADSTARTED EASTERN TIGER SALAMANDERS INTRODUCED INTO VERNAL POOL COMPLEX IN CAPE MAY
Kim Korth and Dave Golden with Kevin Wilson from the Cape May County Zoo

Eastern tiger salamander larvae, hatched at the Cape May County Zoo, were released into our enhanced vernal pool complex in Cape May this month.   Continued monitoring and genetic analysis of this population will determine survivorship of headstarted egg masses versus those placed in predator-exclusion cages in the pool.

On The Lookout For Amphibian Diseases

Posted on by CWF

We need your help! 

Spring is here and amphibians all across the state making their way to their breeding grounds.  Unfortunately, there are two emergent diseases, chytridiomycosis and Ranavirus, that have caused devastating declines in amphibian populations worldwide. New Jersey is not exempt – there have been confirmed cases of both here in the Garden State.  CWF, the NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife, and Montclair State University, are working together to track the occurrences of these diseases in the state and are seeking information about any potential outbreaks.

If you see any wild amphibians (frogs, toads, salamanders, newts), or even reptiles, that appear to be acting abnormally or have visible lesions on them, or if you witness any mass die-offsk, we ask you to please report them to us.  This includes tadpoles, which are the main target of some strains of Ranavirus.  Please e-mail us and describe your observations (photos are helpful); do not send samples without first contacting us.

Please contact either:

Lisa Hazard (hazardl@mail.montclair.edu) OR Kirsten Monsen-Collar (monsenk@mail.montclair.edu)

Department of Biology and Molecular Biology, Montclair State University

Amphibians on the March – in February!

Posted on by CWF

2012 MIGRATION SEASON BEGINS

by MacKenzie Hall, Biologist

Jefferson salamander - Bob Hamilton
A Jefferson salamander gets an early start on spring (Feb 24). Photo by Bob Hamilton

After the wimpy winter (which I quite enjoyed), we knew the amphibian migration could start a little earlier than normal this season.  The ground has been thawed since mid-February across most of NJ, leaving only a reasonably warm nighttime rain to propel frogs and salamanders into their annual breeding frenzy.

And in an oddly symbiotic way, their frenzy becomes ours as well.  This year, the Amphibian Crossing Project covers 6 road rescue sites in Warren, Sussex, and Passaic Counties – more than we’ve ever done before – and includes monitoring at a number of amphibian road-crossings in the Sourland Mountains region.  More than 130 trained volunteers are part of the migration survey, which aims to 1) help amphibians survive the dangerous cross-road journey to their breeding pools, and 2) collect data to find out which sites are most important and which populations are most threatened by traffic.  With all the new sites, new helpers, and big plans for the data we collect this year (stay tuned…), a lot is riding on the weather.  We and our scouts have been out in every little nighttime rainfall over the past month that’s been anywhere near 40 degrees.

Gene & Ginger
New volunteers Gene & Ginger Martel show that they're ready for migration! Photo by Ginger Martel

My first salamander of the season came out of the woods at 2:00 am on February 24th at a crossing in southern Sussex County, as light rain turned to snow in 37 degree air.  Aside from the three bulky humans watching him labor across the road, this Jefferson salamander had a quiet and uneventful trip.  No cars passed through; the only thing coming down on his cool skin was the occasional snowflake.  If you’re a slow, small amphibian, a middle-of-the-night migration is the way to go.  Your chance of survival is slim in the earlier evening’s traffic.

The nights of February 24th, 29th, and March 2nd were also rainy and just warm enough to draw some eager amphibians to the surface.   Jefferson salamanders are famously cold-hardy and have made a big push to their pools.  Spotted salamanders, wood frogs, and even a few spring peepers have taken advantage of the early thaw as well.  Peak migration is still ahead of us in northern NJ, though, so we’ll continue watching the weather and waiting for our next night out in the rain.

Spotted female
A large female spotted salamander, heavy with eggs, gets help crossing a Hunterdon County road (Feb 29). Photo by MacKenzie Hall

SALAMANDERS ARRIVE AT ENHANCED VERNAL POOL COMPLEX IN CAPE MAY

Posted on by CWF

by Karena DiLeo, Wildlife Biologist

Newly excavated vernal pools © Dave Golden

This fall ENSP, in partnership with CWF, completed a project to enhance a complex of vernal pools in Cape May County, creating habitat for state-endangered eastern tiger salamanders and other vernal pool breeding amphibians.  Since excavation of these twelve interconnecting pools was completed in October, and eastern tiger salamanders return to vernal pools to breed in early winter, we were unsure the salamanders would find our new pools in time to breed this year.  But on December 14th, as we were adding leaves and debris to provide attachment points for the salamanders to lay their eggs, we noticed eastern tiger salamander egg masses in our pools!  The salamanders not only found our pools but found the only three sticks in the pool to attach their eggs!

To supplement this population and increase genetic diversity, egg masses collected from other sites have been introduced into these pools.  Egg mass were also collected as part of a headstarting program at the Cape May County Zoo.  Amphibians are very vulnerable to predation during their egg and early larval stage so by headstarting these salamanders and raising them in a safe environment, like special tanks at the Zoo, we are able to release larger individuals into the pools and increase survivorship.

This enhancement is part of a larger project to create an eastern tiger salamander stronghold in New Jersey by linking sites where this state-listed species are found and creating new metapopulations that allow for migration between sites.  Increasing connectivity of vernal pool habitat also allows us to plan for climate change and possible sea level rise by assisting these species’ migration towards more upland habitats.

Salamanders and…Seattle?

Posted on by CWF
FINDING ANSWERS TO NJ PROBLEMS AT ICOET

By MacKenzie Hall, Private Lands Biologist

Seattle Space Needle
The iconic Space Needle, photographed from the edge of Puget Sound.

Last week – literally moments before Irene began her Garden State smack-down – my plane landed on home ground.  I was returning from six days in Seattle, WA, where more than 550 professionals from 21 countries gathered for the International Conference on Ecology & Transportation (ICOET).  The conference offered over 170 combined talks and posters on a variety of research, planning, ecology, and engineering topics that, by and large, had to do with animals crossing roads.

The reason I made the trip was our Amphibian Crossing project (ok, and it was also Seattle, birthplace of the counter-culture that fashioned my grungy teenagehood!).  Over the last decade we’ve surveyed, mapped, and prioritized hotspots throughout the northern half of NJ where frogs and salamanders have to travel across roads to reach their breeding pools each spring.  Enormous numbers are killed in doing so.  The hallmark of our Amphibian Crossing project has always been the volunteer-based rescue surveys – at night, in the rain, in traffic; requiring a lot of hands and a maniacal level of commitment to plan and carry out year after year.  At this point, we’ve got around 35 “high” and “highest” priority crossings…far too many to manually protect in the short-term, not to mention the long-term.  Our long-term solution is to get special under-road culverts installed for these migrating amphibians, and ICOET was a place I could find folks who have done it. Continue reading “Salamanders and…Seattle?”

Dedicated volunteers survey for NJ’s calling amphibians

Posted on by larissasmith
Results of the 2011 CAMP season

by Larissa Smith, Biologist & Volunteer Manager

Each spring Calling Amphibian Monitoring Project (CAMP) volunteers take time out of their busy lives to drive  the dark roads of NJ and listen for the calls of NJ’s amphibians.  Not only do these volunteers have to find the time to schedule the three surveys, each in a specific four week period, they need to meet the protocol for the surveys. This means meeting the minimum temperature requirement, which is not the easiest in March, as well as other weather protocol.  Once they find a perfect night to survey the volunteers follow a 15-mile route with 10 stops. They stop and listen for 5 minutes at each stop and record the amphibians they hear.  This can be a frustrating experience depending upon the route.  Noise from cars can make surveying difficult and some of the  routes in more developed areas record no amphibians calling on many of the stops.  Meanwhile volunteers on the less developed routes can often hear a chorus of frogs and toads that can be almost deafening.

I’d like to thank all the dedicated CAMP volunteers for finding the time to survey this season.

Survey Results

Thirty-one volunteers surveyed 33 routes.  Each route is to be surveyed three times during the spring in March, April & June.  A total of 77 surveys were conducted.  All 16 species of NJ frogs and toads were detected on the surveys.  The species that was heard on the most routes was the Northern Spring Peeper which was heard on 31 routes out of 33 that were surveyed. The second most detected species was the Green Frog heard on 22 routes out of the 33 surveyed.  The least detected species was the Spade Foot Toad which was only heard on one route.

Would you like to help next year?
  • Fourteen routes are available for the 2012 season.

 

The American green treefrog found in southern New Jersey!

Posted on by CWF
© Dave Golden

by Karena DiLeo, Assistant Biologist

A large, breeding population of the American green treefrog, Hyla cinerea, has been discovered in Salem County, New Jersey.  H. cinerea is a common treefrog found in the southeastern United States with a range extending from southern Delaware down the coastal plain to Florida and along the Gulf to Texas.   Although very abundant in sections of its range, it has never been documented in New Jersey.

This serendipitous discovery happened during a routine chytridiomycosis survey in southern New Jersey.  After finishing up a bat acoustics training, MacKenzie (our Private Lands Biologist), offered to help me conduct my night-time amphibian survey.  My intention was to visit a site in the Pinelands but I was surprised by the loud and unidentifiable calling from an impoundment across the road.   As we hiked through dense phrag that had been weaved together by mile-a-minute weed, we were completely oblivious to the clear path to our right that would become apparent in daylight.

Upon reaching the water, the calling was almost deafening and any communication between us was conducted by yelling.  As I waded across the impoundment, the water became very deep and the thick silt slowed movement and caused a fair amount of water to overflow my chest waders.  As the emergent vegetation grew thicker, I began to notice an abundance of small, green treefrogs clasped to the phrag, calling a couple inches above the water.  Confused, as they clearly weren’t peepers and we were out of Pine Barren Treefrog range, I was able to catch one and return to the other side for MacKenzie’s opinion.

© Dave Golden

Upon closer inspection, this frog was clearly not a native to New Jersey.  This little light green frog was about 2 inches in length with small, bright, yellow spots on its back and a pale underside. (This first treefrog did not have the characteristic white side line, but subsequent samples did.)  Luckily, MacKenzie had her camera and was able to take several diagnostic pictures that we would later investigate.

After consulting with several experts and a site visit with ENSP Biologist, Dave Golden, we confirmed that there was a large population of H. cinerea at this site in Salem County.   We are currently conducting more site assessments in the area to determine the green treefrog’s range in New Jersey.   Together with ENSP, we will be starting a genetic study comparing samples collected in New Jersey to local samples found in Delaware in hopes of determining the origin of the New Jersey population.