News Photo by Kayla Wikaryasz Huron Pines volunteers are seen gathering at the entrance of Emily Min Hunt Nature Preserve to hike out to the salamander survey site. Julia Butch, a conservation specialist at Huron Pines, will lead the upcoming 2025 Spring Salamander Survey in April.

ALPENA — Julia Butch, a conservation specialist at Huron Pines, met with volunteer leaders at the Emily Min Hunt Nature Preserve in anticipation for the upcoming 2025 Spring Salamander Survey happening in April.

With spring around the corner, it is prime amphibian time at the preserve.

The Spring Salamander Survey is an annual survey that aims to gather information about salamanders at the Emily Min Hunt Nature Preserve in Presque Isle County. This is the third year that the survey has been done.

The survey is not only an opportunity to assess the local populations of salamanders, but it is also an opportunity for Huron Pines to educate the community about the importance of amphibians and what they can tell conservationists about the health of woodlands and wetlands.

Another goal of this survey is to build on data from 2024 and to assess the general health of salamanders at the preserve. Butch said salamander health is an important indicator of the overall health of their habitat.

“The Spring Salamander Survey allows us to evaluate the health of Emily Min Hunt Nature Preserve’s woodlands and wetlands, and helps us track the success of our restoration efforts,” Butch said.

Butch met with volunteer leaders at the Emily Min Hunt Nature Preserve to educate them about proper handling procedures when assessing salamanders during the survey.

At the preserve, volunteers will find salamanders in vernal ponds, which Butch said are seasonal ponds that aren’t home to fish. These vernal ponds are important habitats for salamanders as they are safe spaces for salamanders to breed.

Butch said that salamander eggs are tasty treats for fish.

According to Huron Pines, “plethodontids,” a terrestrial salamander species, will be the target of the spring survey. Butch explained that volunteers will most likely find Spotted Salamanders and Eastern Red-Backed Salamanders on the survey day.

Butch noted that some of these salamanders are lungless, which means they breathe through pores on their skin. This makes it very important that handlers are very gentle with salamanders, because they are delicate creatures.

Butch stressed the importance of not using any lotions or fragrances while handling salamanders. She also said on survey day, volunteers will rub dirt on their hands to remove any natural oils before handling any amphibians.

Huron Pines volunteers will measure the amphibians from snout to tail and then from snout to vent. Butch explained that when taking these measurements, volunteers will note any “funky” observations. These observations may include missing tails, elongated jaws (a mating trait in males), or if Eastern Red-Backs are missing the orange stripe on their backs.

Butch explained that if Eastern Red-Backed Salamanders are missing their orange stripes, they are then called Lead-Backed Salamanders.

Overall, Butch explained that size of salamanders are dependent on the availability of food, and is not necessarily an indicator of age. She also mentioned that salamanders are very responsive to weather and habitat changes, which is why the annual survey is important.

After the survey is complete, Butch will report the survey findings back to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

According to Huron Pines, 16 species of salamanders were found during last year’s survey, which included 14 Eastern Red-Backed Salamanders and two Spotted Salamanders.

“We’ve seen excellent salamander activity the last few seasons, indicating that the land is healthy and providing a home for a variety of plants and animals,” Butch said. “Providing the public with a hands-on opportunity to learn about and connect with the critters we share our homes with is also incredibly rewarding and a huge part of why we host the survey.”

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.