In Vermont, Drivers Asked to Let Frogs Cross the Road

It's that time of the year in which the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife is warning motorists to drive with caution, but not because of weather: Rather, it's the seasonal migrations of frogs and salamanders, reports the AP. "Frogs and salamanders become active on rainy spring nights" as they search out breeding pools, a DFW rep tells the Burlington Free Press. "On these nights, drivers should slow down on roads near ponds and wetlands, or try to use an alternate route. These amphibian 'hotspots' can lead to the death of thousands of animals on a single night." The animals are often killed by cars, which factors into the species' overall decline.

Officials and volunteers will work to slow traffic and manually carry the amphibians across the roads during spring nights. Vermont also is working to build culverts and wildlife barriers around hotspots to avoid unnecessary amphibian deaths. Vermont works to track the animals' movement, but officials request that drivers call in if they see a large migration. (More salamanders stories.)