Long Island Town Builds First Amphibian Tunnel to Protect Frogs

Protecting Amphibians from Roadkill

• 🐸 Frogs and other amphibians are currently migrating between seasonal ponds for feeding, mating, and exploring.
• ⚠️ Sadly, hundreds of these animals are killed on roads, becoming roadkill.
• 💡 A local nature lover, John Turner, was inspired to take action after witnessing the tragic site of crushed amphibians.

The Frog Hollow Tunnel Initiative

• 🎯 John Turner successfully lobbied town officials to address the issue of amphibian deaths on a local road.
• 💰 The town of Middle Island voted to allocate $20,000 from its budget to construct Long Island's first amphibian crossing.
• 🛠️ An underground tunnel, named Frog Hollow Tunnel, was built to restore connections between fragmented habitats divided by a road.
• 🚧 An additional $18,000 was spent on fencing to guide animals towards the tunnel.

Success and Wider Impact

• 📈 A camera set up at the tunnel has revealed its popularity, with 15 different species of wildlife using it.
• 🌍 This initiative highlights the importance of ecological connectivity and serves as a model for future projects.
• 🤝 Similar efforts are underway in other areas, with support from the federal government for larger wildlife crossings like overpasses for bears and underpasses for panthers.
• 📊 While 2 million large mammals are killed by cars annually, biologists estimate tens of millions of amphibians meet the same fate each year.
• ✅ The project is seen as a gratifying small step to help nature and demonstrates that individual action can make a real difference.