Amphibian and reptile tunnel explained

Amphibian and reptile tunnels, also known as herp tunnels, are a type of wildlife crossing that is positioned beneath a roadway. The tunnels allow amphibians and reptiles to cross roads without the risk of being crushed by a vehicle. They have been used by toads, frogs and salamanders. The tunnels are used to get to their Big Night, a mass courtship ritual which is known as a salamander congress.

In areas that do not have tunnels, municipalities enlist volunteers to hand-carry reptiles across roadways. Some governments in the United States and Europe build herp tunnels which are large enough to accommodate reptiles like turtles. Snakes also use tunnels to cross roads.

History

In the United States, the first amphibian tunnels were the Henry Street salamander tunnels. The tunnels were built in 1987 and they are in Amherst, Massachusetts.[1] [2] After the success of the Henry Street tunnels, the state of California built salamander tunnels under roads.[3] In Davis, California a tunnel was built under a busy road to help toads cross the road.[4] The United States Geological Survey has published a document stating that amphibian and reptile tunnels are best practices. They have created a guide which advocates for the use of more tunnels.[5]

In other areas of the United States volunteers help amphibians cross roads by hand. In New Hampshire people still hand-move salamanders. The Harris Center for Conservation Education organizes a salamander Crossing Brigade made up of volunteers each year.[6] In New Jersey volunteers assist salamanders and other amphibians crossing roads.[7] New York state has a similar volunteer salamander assist project.[8] The tunnels are used by the salamanders to get to vernal pools so that they can court mates on their Big Night. The courtship of the salamanders is known as a salamander congress.[9]

Other countries have been creating amphibian tunnels to reduce amphibian mortality. In Sweden, officials created under road passages with double-sided guiding fences.[10] In Germany, amphibian tunnels have been created to help frogs safely cross roads.[11] In Europe, these tunnels are sometimes referred to as "herp tunnels" the name for the study of amphibians and reptiles: herpetology. The European herp tunnels followed the same design as the Henry Street tunnels: fences and tunnels beneath roads.[12]

In Canada the city of Guelph, Ontario, has built tunnels to help reptiles cross roads. The tunnels are used by amphibians but they are large enough for snapping turtles. In addition other slow moving reptiles like garter snakes, brown snakes use the tunnels.[13] In Britain tunnels were built under a roadway to help adder snakes cross the road. The tunnels have a grate on top so that sunlight can enter the tunnel for the cold-blooded reptiles.[14]

In 2022 a senior housing developer in Davis was ordered to build tunnels for toads. The city Planning Commission required a wooden boardwalk above the waterline inside of two wide underground culverts.[15]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Hofherr . Justine . There Are Teeny Tiny Underpasses for Salamanders in Massachusetts . 21 May 2024 . www.boston.com . Boston globe Media Partners, LLC . 25 March 2015 . 21 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240521025756/https://www.boston.com/cars/untagged/2015/03/25/there-are-teeny-tiny-underpasses-for-salamanders-in-massachusetts/ . live .
  2. Book: Defenders . 1989 . Defenders of Wildlife . Washington, DC . 20 . 64 . 21 May 2024 . en.
  3. Web site: Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) . Research Spotlight: New Study Identifies Effective Under-Road Passage Designs for California Tiger Salamanders U.S. Geological Survey . www.usgs.gov . U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior . 21 May 2024 . en . 21 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240521212737/https://www.usgs.gov/centers/werc/news/research-spotlight-new-study-identifies-effective-under-road-passage-designs . live .
  4. News: Bartell . John . Davis has a tunnel for toads? . 23 May 2024 . ABC 10 . 22 July 2016.
  5. News: Animal Crossing: New Research Guides Efforts to Protect California’s Amphibians and Reptiles from Road Danger U.S. Geological Survey . 23 May 2024 . U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior.
  6. Web site: Salamander Crossing Brigades . Harris Center Making Tracks in the Monadnock Region Since 1970 . Harris Center for Conservation Education . 21 May 2024 . 18 November 2017 . 8 March 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240308022945/https://harriscenter.org/programs-and-education/citizen-science/salamander-crossing-brigades . live .
  7. News: Wheeler . David . Wild New Jersey Revisited: Salamander Crossing – It Could Be Tonight! . 21 May 2024 . Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey . 18 March 2021 . 21 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240521170159/https://www.conservewildlifenj.org/blog/2021/03/18/wild-new-jersey-revisited-salamander-crossing-it-could-be-tonight/ . live .
  8. Web site: Amphibian Migrations And Road Crossings - NYSDEC . dec.ny.gov . New York State . 21 May 2024 . en . 21 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240521174647/https://dec.ny.gov/nature/waterbodies/oceans-estuaries/hudson-river-estuary-program/conservation-and-land-use-program/amphibian-migrations-and-road-crossings . live .
  9. Web site: The Biggest Night(s) of Spring . Mass Audubon . Mass Audubon . 12 June 2024.
  10. Helldin . Jan Olof . Petrovan . Silviu O. . Effectiveness of small road tunnels and fences in reducing amphibian roadkill and barrier effects at retrofitted roads in Sweden . PeerJ . 26 August 2019 . 7 . e7518 . 10.7717/peerj.7518 . free . en . 2167-8359. 6714967 .
  11. News: Germany builds $285,200 frog tunnel . 21 May 2024 . NBC News . Reuters . 5 January 2004 . en . 24 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210724090238/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna3881893 . live .
  12. Book: Goldfarb . Ben . Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet . 12 September 2023 . W. W. Norton & Company . New York, New Yok . 978-1-324-00590-2 . 22 May 2024 . en.
  13. News: Bellantoni . Santana . Critter crossing makes Maltby Road safer for turtles and others . 23 May 2024 . Guelph Today . 25 August 2023 . en.
  14. News: McGowan . Cat . Tunnel of love? Cautious adders get a helping hand in Berkshire . BBC . 10 May 2024.
  15. News: Baker . Christopher . Davis land developer must build tunnel for toads to build senior housing - CBS Sacramento . 12 June 2024 . CBS News . 26 August 2022.

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