Costa Rican Webfoot Salamander (Bolitoglossa tica)
Here’s a nice excuse to photograph exquisite lichen-covered sticks: the endangered Costa Rican Webfoot Salamander (Bolitoglossa tica), a species that has not been recorded in quite some time, found during a recent research trip for the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History.
Read MoreHellbender 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 MoreMeet SAM Tonight!
The Hellbender: New York’s Living Fossil – Tonight at 7:00PM 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. Join conservation biologist Robin Foster to learn more about the hellbender and how you can help to conserve this amazing amphibian! Please join us at RTPI (311 Curtis St., Jamestown, NY) at 7:00 for...
Read MoreChasing Hellbenders
It’s a beautiful sunny morning when I join biologists, students and techs from the University of Buffalo and NYS DEC to evaluate a stream for a particularly unique species of amphibian. We dawn our waders and lug our equipment to the water’s edge. The water is still relatively cool and is rolling over the rocky bottom of the river in which we enter. With nets in hand and special poles used to lift large rocks, we begin to evaluate the stream bottom for suitable places a secretive salamander might live. As we find a massive rock along the river floor, we surround it as it is...
Read MoreScorching May
The first half of the month of May 2015 was a quietly scorching one, with the heat turned all the way up in the Northeast. You may not believe it based on the outdoor feel of our day to day weather, but the entire region was far warmer than usual. While we did not have the extreme highs or actual heat waves, a stretch or days well into the 90s or anything particularly memorable, we have been consistently warmer than average for our highs and often above the long-term lows. The Northeast Regional Climate Center map here shows us the tale. The coolest part has been sections of Maine which were...
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