Community Articles
Go to Site Index See "Community Articles" main page
Little newtling...big wide road
General News · 1st October 2021
Barry Saxifrage
Really tiny baby newts are trying to cross Bartholomew Road near the Hanks Beach parking lot. We've notice them out on three days in the last couple weeks. Each time it has been raining recently and the road is quite wet.

These wee ones are far too small to see when driving, no matter how slow I drive. I can't even see them when biking quickly. I have to slow way down and look intently for them. It would even be easy to step on them if not looking down.

Wednesday in the rain I found a dozen in ten minutes of walking the 100 meters on either side of the parking area. Seven were alive and 5 had just been run over. Thursday, which was drier, I didn't find any.

If you want to help the survival odds for these newt-borns on their migration you could consider doing any/all of the three things we are doing:

1) if you can, avoid driving on that part of the road on rainy, wet days for the next month. (see map below)

2) slow down when biking there and keep your eyes open for them

3) if you are in the area anyway, walk that section of road and carry any you see across the road in the direction they are facing

Easy to overlook
Easy to overlook
Nearly half I found were crushed already
Nearly half I found were crushed already
Newt's eye view...
Newt's eye view...