Gallery: Searching for Salamanders at Emily Min Hunt Preserve

Apr 29

Volunteers of all ages explored Emily Min Hunt Preserve in Presque Isle County April 26 in search of tiny amphibians lurking among the forest duff.

The annual Spring Salamander Survey is one way we engage volunteers in monitoring the health of our preserve’s ecosystems by observing and documenting salamanders in its wetland forests. The abundance and species diversity of these amphibians helps us assess the condition of their sensitive habitats at the preserve. The event is also an opportunity for people to see and hold these reclusive creatures, often for the first time in their lives, and make deeper connections to the natural world.

Volunteers worked in groups to methodically check under a series of small cover boards laid out in a grid on the forest floor. Each salamander was carefully measured and recorded before being placed gently back next to their board. Young volunteers also encountered isopods, earthworms, ants and one small snake. A total of 10 salamanders were recorded that day, including a rarely seen yellow-spotted salamander.

Avalynn Mousseau, 8, described her encounter with a salamander that morning.

“When I saw it I made a connection with it because it was so cute and I want to come back and see it,” she said, gesturing excitedly in her pink rain poncho.

Thank you to all the volunteers who joined us for this year’s survey. A selection of photos from the event can be viewed in the gallery below.