City closes road to protect migrating salamanders (Conservation)

August 3, 2025 By: Sochibueze Ajoku

In Burlington, Ontario, city officials now close a section of King Road each spring for nearly a month so endangered Jefferson salamanders can safely cross during their annual migration to vernal pools. For 13 years, this practice has helped protect a small amphibian species whose survival is threatened by urbanization and habitat fragmentation. This real‑world action connects directly with what we studied in Unit 3 about site‑specific species conservation and the importance of maintaining ecological corridors even in heavily developed areas. It highlights how urban infrastructures, like roads, can disrupt animal life cycles, and how local stewardship decisions – even small ones – can reinforce ecosystem resilience and contribute to species at risk recovery.

Canadian city blocks street for weeks so tiny salamanders can cross – The Washington Post