AmphibiansAmphibians && ReptilesReptiles onon thethe NiagaraNiagara EscarpmentEscarpment

By Fiona Wagner

For anyone fortunate enough to be hiking the Bruce Trail in the early spring, it can be an overwhelming and humbling experience. That’s when the hills awaken to the resounding sound of frogs - the Wood frogs come

first, followed by the Spring Peepers and Spiny Softshell Turtle Chrous frogs. By summer, seven more species will have joined this wondrous and sometimes deafening cacophony and like instruments in 15

an orchestra, each one has their unique call. Photo: Don Scallen

Bruce Trail Magazine Spring 2010 Photo: Gary Hall

Like an oasis in a desert of urban Toronto Zoo. “It’s this sheer diversi- of some of these creatures can be an development, the Niagara ty and the density of some of these astonishing experience, says Don Escarpment is home to more than experiences. I’m hooked for that Scallen, a teacher and vice president 30 reptiles and amphibians, includ- reason. You’ll never know what of Halton North Peel Naturalist ing several at risk species such as the you’re going to find.” Club. Don hits the Trail in early Dusky Salamander and Spotted spring to watch the rare and local Turtle (both endangered) as well as When and where to go Jefferson salamanders and their the threatened Jefferson Salamander. While it’s possible to see amphib- more common relative, the Yellow It is the diversity of the escarpment’s ians and reptiles from March to Spotted salamander. varied habitats, including wetlands, October, you’ll have more success if “A good night for salamander rocky outcrops and towering old you think seasonally, says Johnson. migrations would be early to mid growth forests, that make it an ideal “That’s so you don’t go out in the April when it’s been raining during place to observe and experience wrong season and do a lot of inva- the day. You literally have to watch both rare and common species. sive investigation to find something your step because there are so many “It’s the magic of an ice cave in that’s hiding now, but in the spring, salamanders bubbling out of the August, to a fern that walks, to a it’s doing what it wants to do and ground, they’re just that numer- salamander that lays its eggs on it’s everywhere doing it.” ous,” he says. “They’re all headed to land. That’s what being out on the While many amphibians and rep- their breeding pools where they 16 trail is all about,” says Bob Johnson, tiles can be quite secretive, if you congregate. We’ve seen masses of curator Amphibians and Reptiles, time your visit right the abundance these creatures in one small area of www.brucetrail.org Bruce Trail Magazine one pond in particular. It’s a won- likely to see the more common snakes place for seeing Ribbon and Water drous thing to watch -- something such as the Garter, Brown and snakes, Snapping and Painted turtles you don’t want to miss in the Redbelly basking, on a rock or log as (to find them, look for bumps on a springtime if you live in the area. they try to warm up. log) and of course frogs and toads, Spring is primetime but even That said, when not hunting or the most common being American then, weather and time of day plays basking those same snakes - as well as toads, Green frogs and Leopard frogs. a role. “The main thing to remem- the more secretive Northern Ringneck “You’ll see most of those things just ber when looking for reptiles and and Eastern Milk snakes - can also be by walking around the edges of wet- amphibians is they are exothermic, found on forest trails under rocks and lands and shorelines,” says Crowley. so they don’t control their own logs. That’s also a great place to find “Snakes will go shooting out into body temperature,” says Joe Ontario’s only completely terrestrial the water and frogs will hop out of Crowley, Ontario Herpetofaunal salamander, the common Eastern the way as you walk past.” Atlas Project Coordinator for Redback salamander. While you’ll find the greatest vari- Ontario Nature. “If it’s really cold, “We have an incredible abun- ation and number of species in the they’ll be hiding underground. If it’s dance of reptiles and amphibians southern half of the trail, if you’re really hot, they’ll be hiding in shade but you’ll only see them if you look up near the Bruce Peninsula, look so the ideal temperatures are under things where they’re hiding,” for rocky outcrops with some vege- between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius.” says Crowley. tative cover – a favoured habitat for That’s why if you’re out and about As for wetlands and shorelines, the hard-to-find Eastern Massasauga on cool and sunny morning, you’re they can be a particularly productive Rattlesnake, which despite having

Five-Lined Skink Blue Spotted Salamander Photo: D. Twitchell Photo: Calvin Knaggs

Eastern Fox Snake Eastern Hognose Snake Midland Painted Turtle Photo: Calvin Knaggs Photo: Don Scallen Photo: Calvin Knaggs

Red-Eared Slider Turtle (non-native) Four Toed Salamander Photo: Don Scallen Photo: Calvin Knaggs

17 Photo: Calvin Knaggs

Bruce Trail Magazine Spring 2010 the notoriety of being Ontario’s Find information on, and images of, the many different types of reptiles and only venomous snake, has only amphibians found on the Niagara Escarpment and beyond, visit: killed two people in Canada ever. • Adopt-A-Pond Species Guides: http://www.torontozoo.com/AdoptAPond/ “[Amphibians and reptiles] are by • NRCAN: Amphibians & Reptiles of Ontario: http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/subsite/glfc-amphibians/ far the easiest group of species to • ROM: Common Amphibians of Ontario: http://www.rom.on.ca/ontario/fieldguides.php actually go and look for,” adds Crowley. “Compared to birds, there Get involved: aren’t as many of them, they’re By submitting observations of your Bruce Trail sightings, you can help improve knowledge of easy to tell apart and they’re easy the distribution and abundance of reptiles and amphibians in Ontario. to find. If you flip a rock and • Frog Watch Ontario: http://www.torontozoo.com/AdoptAPond/FrogwatchOntario.asp there’s a snake, it’s sitting right • Ontario Turtle Tally: http://www.torontozoo.com/AdoptAPond/TurtleTally.asp there… two feet from you. You • Ontario Herpetofaunal Atlas Program: http://www.ontarionature.org/herpetofaunal_atlas.html don’t need to squint through • Nature Watch FrogWatch: http://www.naturewatch.ca/english/frogwatch/on/intro.html binoculars to see it.”

Under threat Plan, a disturbing number of species Beyond their fascinating biology Numerous as they are, these crea- are in decline. The cause? Habitat and behaviour, their intrinsic right tures aren’t without threat. Despite loss and fragmentation, road con- to survival and their role as part of the UNESCO World Biosphere desig- struction and cars, pollution and our natural heritage, their contin- nation and the Niagara Escarpment human collection and persecution. ued existence is important to us on

Blanding’s Turtle Dekay’s Brown Snake Photo: Adopt-A-Pond Photo: Calvin Knaggs

Northern Red Bellied Snake Photo: Calvin Knaggs

Jefferson Salamander Photo: Calvin Knaggs

Eastern Garter Snake Photo: Calvin Knaggs

Eastern Milk Snake Wood Turtle Yellow Spotted Salamander Photo: Unknown

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www.brucetrail.org Bruce Trail Magazine Photo: Calvin Knaggs a more personal level: these animals collapse all together,” adds Crowley. • Remember your binoculars, camera, live in a habitat that is important The good news is continued preser- field guide and flashlight. Wear for human health and happiness, vation and celebration of the Bruce solid hiking boots and pants for the explains Julia Phillips, Adopt-A- Trail and its Conservation Corridor trail and rubber boots for wading. Pond Coordinator, Toronto Zoo. For goes a long way towards species sur- • Take notes of where you see crea- example, wetlands function as fil- vival: “It’s the habitat you need to tures and what they were doing. ters for the water we drink and act save, not the individual species or the A GPS is a great tool and helps as storage basins, keeping floodwa- animal,” says Phillips. “If you save inform citizen monitoring programs ters out of our basements. the habitat, they’ll be there.” • If you’re up in the northern Bruce What’s more, amphibians are con- and you see a Massasauga sidered the first indicator of environ- Tips for amphibian and reptile Rattesnake, don’t panic. Their fangs mental destruction and pollution, watching: are tiny and they have a short strike she says. “They absorb everything • Stay on the trail and don’t trample distance. Stop, listen for the rattle immediately into their bloodstream the vegetation and go back the other way. And and breathe through their skin as • If you flip a rock or log, put it remember: like most snakes, it’s well, so they can tell you about air back exactly the way you found it. more scared of you, says Crowley. and water quality.” When the frogs Salamanders are extremely sensi- • Take your time, be quiet and be disappear, that’s bad news for us. tive to micro-climates and if the patient. “These animals are so “All of these species are intercon- conditions aren’t perfect, they’ll diverse and have such extraordi- nected and if we lose too many abandon the site. nary behaviour,” says Johnson. species, the ecosystem isn’t going to • Take only photographs – don’t “But it takes a little longer for perform the way it should, if it doesn’t handle or remove any creatures them to demonstrate that to us.” •

Red Backed Salamander Northern Map Turtle Queen Snake Photo: Calvin Knaggs Photo: Calvin Knaggs Photo: Calvin Knaggs

Red Eft (Eastern Newt) Massasauga Rattlesnake Photo: Calvin Knaggs Photo: Calvin Knaggs

Northern Water Snake Photo: Adopt-A-Pond

Stinkpot Turtle Eastern Smooth Green Snake Snapping Turtle Photo: Dan Herbert

19 Photo: Andrea Kritzer Photo: Calvin Knaggs

Bruce Trail Magazine Spring 2010