Peepers say spring is here
I heard some signs of spring today, November 11, coming from the forest! That was a rather quick winter season, wasn’t it? There were Spring Peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) calling from the woodlands optimistically thinking we may be on the way to warmth. This photo shows a Spring Peeper tadpole starting to metamorph into a miniature froglet that Twan photographed for the Meet Your Neighbours global diversity project. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreSpring Peeper tadpoles
Spring Peeper tadpoles are starting to metamorph into miniature froglets right now. This little guy or gal still has a bit of its tail to resorb, but otherwise it looks ready to move out of the pond and into the wide world. An amazing transition in the span of just a few weeks!
Read MoreBlue-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale) by Twan Leenders
Even though I’ve seen many different versions of this scene before, it never ceases to amaze me: a first gulp of air as a metamorph amphibian (a larval Blue-spotted Salamander, Ambystoma laterale, in this case) prepares to leave the familiarity of its aquatic habitat to try its luck on land. This image only captured a small, split-second occurrence, but it also recorded a phenomenon that is so biologically fundamental (and so utterly amazing when you think about the mechanics of the whole process!) that I was very excited to document this so many can see and ponder it.
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