Hellbender Surveys Continue
While the summer season is winding down, our survey work certainly isn’t! As stream conditions allow, we will continue surveying for the elusive Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) in the French Creek watershed and beyond. Working closely with the University of Buffalo and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, we have found habitats within the area that may support hellbenders. Test results and hands-on surveys will reveal whether these sites may support a viable population, so we have our fingers crossed and will share more details soon!
Read MoreCoastal Adventure
The other week I had the opportunity to adventure out to Connecticut and Rhode Island for a week of learning. As you all know, we have a number of projects running in coastal Connecticut monitoring shorebirds and educating the public about the many federally and state listed species that reside there, and we have some wonderful RTPI staff stationed there as well. On my trip I was able to spend some time with Scott Kruitbosch, our Conservation and Outreach Coordinator, looking at several of the sites where projects for shorebirds, migrating raptors and coastal remediation are taking place. It...
Read MoreProject Wild America Wrap Up
It’s 7am and about 55° on the morning of our last turtle trapping day with our Project Wild America Youth Ambassadors. I roll up to the Riverwalk to find all our students ready to give things a final go. All of us are beat from a long couple weeks of intensive trapping efforts and exploration of various sites along the Chadakoin River. However, we each feel accomplished with how many different species we have found and the impact we have made on the local community through the sharing of our findings and experiences. There is a dwindling optimism as we deploy our 35 foot seine net,...
Read MoreProject Wild America
Elyse, RTPI’s Conservation Technician, gets a good laugh whilst holding a seemingly unimpressed American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus). This was just one of the many fascinating organisms discovered so far during our Project Wild America survey along the Chadakoin River. More to come!
Read MoreSpeaker Series Event – The Hellbender: New York’s Living Fossil with Robin Foster
The Eastern Hellbender is a unique salamander found only in the eastern United States. Hellbenders are “living fossils” that have remained virtually unchanged for millions of years, giving us a glimpse into our ecological past. In recent years, this iconic species has declined significantly in New York and throughout its entire range. RTPI staff are working with conservation biologist Robin Foster and other conservationists to better understand the status of this species in our region. Join us as we welcome Robin at Roger Tory Peterson Institute on Friday, July 17th at 7pm to learn...
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