The annual closure of a Burlington road to allow for the safe passage of endangered Jefferson salamanders as they complete their breeding migration has begun.
King Road will be closed from North Service Road to Mountain Brow Road until the salamanders complete their migration.
Burlington has closed the road every year since 2012, though this year’s closure comes earlier than normal due to the mild weather conditions.
“With this mild weather, it’s important to close the road a bit earlier this year to protect our ‘Jeffies.’ I appreciate the support for this closure, not only from the residents of Ward 1, but also the entire community,” Burlington Ward 1 Coun. Kevin Galbraith said in a press release.
King Road is expected to reopen April 2, which is the expected completion date for the salamander crossing.
Since the salamander was added to the endangered species list in 2011, there has been a concerted effort by conservation agencies and politicians to ensure a safe habitat for them.
“For over a decade, Conservation Halton has partnered with the City of Burlington to ensure that the Jefferson salamander can safely make the trek across King Road, towards their spring breeding ponds. These efforts have a direct impact on this endangered species’ capacity for survival and long-term recovery,” Lesley Matich of Conservation Halton said in a press release.
Jefferson salamanders mostly live underground but as spring approaches they surface and travel to breed in ponds that are formed by rain run-off, officials say. The adults will then lay their eggs on underwater vegetation before returning to their home, which is deciduous forest along the Niagara Escarpment. By late summer, the larvae will lose their gills and then leave the ponds to live in the forests.
