Thanks to the Newt Roadkill Survey Team (2020-2021 Migration Season)
As we head into the last 4-6 weeks of the Pacific newt migration season, I'd like to send out my thanks and deepest gratitude to the Newt Roadkill Survey Team (@merav, @sea-kangaroo, @newtpatrol, @anudibranchmom, @joescience1, @karangattu, @tyap, @biohexx1) for your work at Lexington Reservoir during the 2020-2021 migration season.
The last month is possibly the most difficult. Volunteers are exhausted both mentally & physically from taking pictures of thousands upon thousands of dead creatures on the road. Just when you think the carnage might be over, it rains and more newts brave the road only to have the life snuffed out of them. It weighs you down. It's difficult and dangerous work. Not many people appreciate your efforts. It's so discouraging when the powers-that-be won't do anything to stop the carnage.
But look how much you've accomplished! Especially Merav, who deserves special recognition for the phenomenal amount of work she's done on the longevity study as well as routine surveys, training, collaborating with partners, developing a web site, and leading the team.
Team, please know that I and individuals at key agencies (UC Davis Road Ecology Center, CA Fish & Wildlife, USGS Ecology, Audubon Society, Sierra Club, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, Peninsula Open Space Trust and others) truly appreciate the work you've done.
Fraser Shilling, Ph.D., director of the UC Davis Road Ecology Center at UC Davis recently said, "I don't think there has been a study anywhere in the world that has found a higher density of amphibian mortality from traffic than this one."
You all have contributed to a landmark study. Thank you for your time and effort.
Comments
"a higher density of amphibian mortality from traffic than this one". Such a sad statement.
@truthseqr Thank YOU as well! Your tireless efforts continue to inspire all of us.
Notes:
Hours include time in the field and also an equal amount of time uploading and annotating observations and writing field notes in the project journal.
Miles include walking both sides of the road. (1.7 *2 for the north section; 2.4*2 for the south section.
Roadkill count only includes observations made by our team, not those made by HTH.
I'll update these numbers and include them in the year-end report that @biohexx1 and I are writing.
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