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Wisconsin Audubon Councilc/o Madison Audubon Society
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2009 Forms
Background
2008 marked the first year of the Wisconsin Salamander Survey (WSS,) a joint initiative of the Wisconsin Audubon Council, Inc. and the Citizen-based Monitoring Network of Wisconsin. Nearly all of the 52 volunteer citizen monitors were members of one of 15 Audubon chapters throughout the state. Nine chapter coordinators worked directly with their monitors to supply them with traps, data sheets, training information, and answer questions or concerns. Wisconsin Audubon received a small grant from the Citizen-based Monitoring Network of Wisconsin to pay for project expenses.
Wisconsin has six terrestrial salamanders and one aquatic, the mudpuppy. Monitors are especially interested in documenting the presence of three species that breed in ephemeral woodland pools-the blue-spotted, spotted and tiger salamanders.
Adult Trapping Period Results
Monitors live-trapped and released 1, 054 adults of six salamander species last April. The red-backed salamander lays its eggs on land and was the lone state species not captured. Monitors caught adults at 45% (25 of 56) of sites surveyed. An elementary teacher working with her students captured 95 adults, including 70 in one trap, in a single day.
Larval Salamander Trapping Period Results
One monitor caught a virtually uncountable number of tadpoles and salamander larvae, numbering in the thousands. All other monitors caught 358 Ambystomid or Mole salamander larvae (tiger, spotted, blue-spotted) in the early July trapping period. Monitors that caught larvae at their site also caught at least one adult. Many sites were dried up by July and were not surveyed.
Results of the initial WSS are summarized in the links below:
Table by chapter
Graph: Breeding Ponds -- Species Present
Graph: Adult Salamanders Trapped & Released
For More Information
Contact:
Randy Korb
PO Box 5
St Croix Falls, WI 54024
rkorbbio@aol.com
715/483-2742
Winnebago Audubon -- The Lake Flyer article -- page 2
Madison Audubon -- CAWS -- page 5
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Last Revised April 1, 2009
