Hello folks who wonder if the people who have "Hate has no home here" signs in their front yards live peacefully with the insects and spiders in their homes,
Here is a riddle for you, why did the newt cross the road?
It never did. It never made it to the other side. Here is why.....
Let us assume you had to cross the road, what would be your strategy?
Easy. Look on either side of the road till no car is approaching, then run like you would to the nearest restroom after having a Chipotle burrito for dinner. Now let us increase the level of difficulty of this game by making your speed slow or the speed of the cars faster.
Or make your size smaller which means you will take more time to cross the same distance.
Now, combine both levels of difficulty and you now know what it feels like to be a Rough-skinned Newt or a California Newt around Lexington reservoir near Los Gatos, California.
Wait a min, why cross the road in the first place if it can cost your life?
Love or in a biological sense, the same reason any species is brought into this world: a chance to pass on their genes or watch Sunday night football depending on who you ask.
Pacific Newts like the California and Rough-skinned Newts will emerge from nearby nature preserves and start making their way towards the Lexington reservoir after the first rains to find potential mates. Here is a glimpse into what their mating looks like.
It is at this time they must cross the Alma Bridge road before they can reach the reservoir. Due to constant heavy road use by numerous people coming over to indulge in recreation activities like hiking, fishing, rowing, and kayaking along with a few residents, they are unintentionally taking part in a grisly event.
You see, due to their inconspicuous size, these newts are hard to spot by speeding cars or trucks on these roads.
When this keeps happening without any intervention, approximately 5000 newts become roadkill every year because of vehicles running over them. This is what the aftermath looks like.
To turn this tide, and reduce these fatalities, we need to coax the authorities to implement mitigation measures. Before that can happen, we need to provide them with solid data of this phenomenon. And that is why we need volunteers.
If you or any of your friends are interested in being part of this project, please sign up to be part of the newt patrol over here. I am also happy to answer any questions you may have.
Speeding traffic causes more than just newt fatalities. Below is a soil centipede shouting "I can't feel my legs, Mom!".
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