Text in green reading "Amphibian Crossing Guards" on a black background.
A smiling woman wearing glasses, a reflective safety vest, and a headlamp on her black cap, holding a small insect in her hands against a dark background.

A study in Massachusetts showed close to …

20% mortality rate

A black salamander with yellow spots on a fallen tree trunk in a forest.

… of spotted salamanders during migration, per year. Salamanders have lifespans up to 20 years, but at that rate most will perish within five.

During the first warm rains of March, spotted salamanders emerge from deep dark places in the soil and begin an epic journey

A black salamander with yellow spots on orange pumpkin skin with visible veins.

They are returning to their natal pools to mate and lay eggs.

A spotted salamander on the forest floor among wet leaves.

They also cross roads and driveways, and here the slower-moving of them are often crushed into the roadbed.

A spotted salamander on wet leaves in a dark forest at night.
Close-up of a black salamander with yellow spots on its skin, lying on a forest floor with leaves.
A black salamander with yellow spots on a bed of fallen brown leaves.

[ How to help ]

Partial view of a sign with the words 'Drive with care' in large green letters on a black background.

It’s not just during the migration rains in March that one can witness large numbers of amphibians moving across roads in the Sourlands and throughout the region. Many frogs and salamanders move on wet nights when their skins are less vulnerable to desiccation. It’s typical to catch a glimpse of a hopping frog, illuminated in headlights, during warm rains from March to October. So please, drive with care.

Nighttime scene of emergency responders with reflective vests and flashlights standing on a dark road.

At hot spots for amphibian crossings in the Sourlands, volunteers and conservation professionals gather to help salamanders and frogs make it across the road. You’ll witness a nature spectacle and save lives at the same time.

[ How to help ]

Text that says 'Volunteer to chaperone' in large green font.
Two adult hands gently holding a baby salamander with a dark body and yellow spots.

Fill out this form to volunteer for the next Amphibian Crossing Guard event

Become a volunteer
Illustration of a dense forest of evergreen trees under a black sky.