SOS: SAVE OUR SALAMANDERS!
Every year, spotted salamanders and other amphibians must cross Herrontown Road to reach their breeding pools, and every year, many are killed by cars.
Even with trained crossing guards helping animals across the road, last year ~40% of the amphibians were killed. At this rate, the local population will soon be gone. As a result of mass mortality at road crossings, Spotted Salamanders were recently declared a Species of Special Concern in New Jersey.
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Close the road. 2025 was the first year that the Town of Princeton agreed to close Herrontown Road on mass migration nights. On the first migration night, the road was open, and 45% of the animals were killed by cars. When the road was closed, we logged 119 amphibians crossing in just a few hours…and NO deaths!!!!! Road closures WORK!
WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP?
The Town of Princeton requires that we hire two police officers to ensure public safety during road closures. This will cost close to $1,000 for three hours, each night. Unless we hire police, they will not close the road, and many more amphibians will die. Your support will help us offset the costs of hiring the two police officers we need to ensure public safety for two nights and get as many salamanders and as many other amphibians as possible across the road. Additional funds will be used to support the amphibian crossing in other ways, including training and education, outreach, and critical safety and data collection equipment.
Any donation, large or small, gets us closer to our goal of closing the road on mass migration nights and Saving Our Salamanders.
All donations are tax-deductible. The Friends of Herrontown Woods is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, EIN# 47-1842281.