A Big Night for Amphibians

Though the vernal equinox is still weeks away, our watershed's amphibians are already springing into action!

It begins with a warm, rainy night in late winter, early spring. That's when an amazing yearly procession of amphibians gets underway. It's called Big Night! From the safe cover of the forest floor, a parade of frogs and salamanders make their way to vernal pools and wetland areas where they reproduce to continue their species. 

When does Big Night occur each year? No one really knows. It is not an exact science. Just know that if enough snow has melted in the woods, and temperatures stay relatively warm (above 40 degrees F), and it is raining, there's a good chance Big Night is underway.

Amphibians can travel up to a quarter mile or more as they migrate through fragmented spaces and cross dangerous roads to reach their destination. They will aim to return to the same vernal pool where they were born to lay their own eggs. This risky migration is a leading cause of amphibian mortalities. It's also the reason why Conservation Partners of the Pomperaug (CPoP) are taking actionable steps to help.

Conservation Partners Join Together

Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition has joined together with its community conservation partners (Southbury Land Trust, Bent of the River Audubon Center, Flander's Nature Center and Land Trust, Roxbury Land Trust, Bethlehem Land Trust, Steep Rock Association, and Watertown Land Trust) to make the journey safer for amphibians at key locations throughout the Pomperaug Watershed. 

Working collectively as the Conservation Partners of the Pomperaug (CPoP), members will be posting "Critter Crossing" informational signs at known amphibian road crossing sites, documenting where new crossings occur, and assisting amphibians at areas with high instances of crossings.

We Need Your Help!

To protect our frogs and salamanders, we need the help of our community members to locate vernal pools and find out where vernal pool migrations are taking place.

How you can help:

1. Learn how to identify vernal pools and what species to look for.

2. Look for amphibian road crossings in your area and report all sightings to us here.

3. Drive extra slowly and carefully after dusk or avoid areas of known amphibian crossings altogether.

4. Spread the word about these migrations and CPoP's efforts to your family and friends in the community!