Beware of frog: Mass. Wildlife urging public to be alert for amphibians crossing roads

Frogger was a fun game to play at the arcade. It’s less fun to play with your car.

The Massachusetts Department of Fisheries and Wildlife is asking residents to be on the alert for amphibians this spring. Springtime is when the semi-aquatic animals emerge from their winter burrows. However, to reach their springtime getaways, they often have to cross roadways- and put themselves right in the line of your tire treads.

“These animals can be difficult to see, as they are generally small-bodied and move under the cover of dark. This spring, please be mindful of our amphibians and our natural heritage,” says the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife.

Spotted salamanders, wood frogs, blue-spotted salamanders, Jefferson salamanders, American toads, spring peepers, four-toed salamanders, northern leopard frogs, and eastern red-backed salamanders are counted among the amphibians that emerge for the spring rains.

The Department of Fisheries and Wildlife provided the following tips to save our slippery friends:

• Please drive cautiously and carefully.
• Whenever possible over the next 2 months, please consider not driving on rainy nights when air temperatures are 40°F or higher. If you must travel during such conditions, delaying beyond the first 2 hours after sunset is recommended.
• Travel on larger highways rather than small, wooded roads if possible. Plan routes that minimize the number of wetlands or vernal pools passed.
• If observing amphibian migrations, consider arriving at your destination prior to sunset, and then conduct your monitoring on foot.
• If assisting amphibians across roadways or handling them for other reasons, be sure your hands are free of lotions, bug repellent, or other chemicals.
• Report high levels of amphibian activity or mortality to the Linking Landscapes for Massachusetts Wildlife initiative, which compiles data to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions on problem roadways.
• If you encounter any of our state-listed rare amphibian species (eastern spadefoot, blue-spotted salamander, Jefferson salamander, and marbled salamander), please take a clear photograph of the animal, carefully record the location, and submit an observation report to MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program.
• Go the extra mile to help preserve amphibian habitat by certifying vernal pools on your property. The data you collect is used to help MassWildlife and local conservation organizations better understand habitat resources for our native amphibians.

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