Vinalhaven Salamander Outing
Over the course of two rain-filled nights this spring, MCHT naturalist and Vinalhaven steward Kirk Gentalen took seven eager observers out for a pair of “joy” rides along the Round-the-Island Road. The “joy” the participants were hoping to find was to be provided by spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) as they made their annual migration from wintering burrows to vernal pools where they breed each spring. These particular nights were chosen for a reason -they were the first rainy nights of the year that the temperature was over 40 degrees - prime spotted salamander conditions!
“This is easiest way to find the salamanders,” Gentalen said. “Their migratory paths cross the road in several spots. We just drove slowly to see what we could find.” And they certainly did find the spotted ones – the one-hour trips resulted in spotted salamander counts of 20 and 40 respectively. “They go all night,” he added. “There were undoubtedly hundreds that crossed the roads each night.” Two spring peepers and a single red-backed salamander were found as well.
Vernal Pools are special habitats where insects and amphibians are free to mingle and breed in relative peace. For a pool to be considered “vernal” it needs to dry up each year or every other year. This drying eliminates any chance of predatory fish establishing a population. Without fish, amphibian eggs and young can develop in a (somewhat) safe environment. However, since these pools disappear, it can literally be a “race against the dry” as adults hope to breed, lay eggs, and have their young hatch and develop before the water is gone. Several sets of eggs have already been found on MCHT properties on the island this spring.
The nocturnal salamanders are close to impossible to find at any other time, so getting out on these nights is imperative for any salamander enthusiast. Many folks on the island have never seen these creatures, even though they number in the 1,000s (if not 10s of thousands).
The trips inspired some passionate responses, summed up in the comments of Vinalhaven resident Susan Raven regarding her 2 ½-year old daughter’s reaction to the outing. “Last week we went on the salamander night with Kirk, and my daughter, Isa, is now enamored with salamanders. She is drawing them, asking for books on them, wants to go find some vernal pools, and is trying to work out the differences between amphibians and reptiles and why salamanders are different than her cousin's iguana.” Isa has become a salamander enthusiast in the making!
