Blue-spotted salamanders on Peter White Drive on Presque Isle Park have suffered fewer fatalities due to the road closure. The Superior Watershed Partnership, with the help of the city of Marquette and Northern Michigan University, plan a future initiative to keep the fatalities down. (Photo courtesy of the SWP)

MARQUETTE — The road around Presque Isle Park appears to be safer for salamanders.

The Superior Watershed Partnership, which is located in the vicinity of the salamander crossing area on Peter White Drive, announced that because the city of Marquette Parks and Recreation Department restricted road access and the COVID-19 situation further restricted park use, blue-spotted salamanders had a record few fatalities this year.

Only three salamander fatalities were recorded this year, the SWP said.

Abbie Hanson, biologist and project planner for the SWP, said she believes 2019 was the only year there had been a count, with 429 fatalities tallied.

“This estimate may even be on the low side as gulls and other scavengers are pretty good at spotting the squished salamanders as well,” Hanson said in an email.

According to the SWP, the park is a literal breeding ground for this unique type of salamander. Each year in the early spring, thousands of salamanders migrate from the interior of Presque Isle to vernal pools and wetlands where they breed and lay their eggs.

However, the SWP noted that many of the slow-moving salamanders often become the victims of car tires as the amphibians cross Peter White Drive on their way to the wetlands.

The SWP, Hanson said, originally proposed closing the road from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. April 1 through May 15, but because of the pandemic, the road was closed altogether. Peak salamander migration also has been documented.

The city of Marquette announced it has opened the seasonal drive around Presque Isle Park to patrons who want to drive around the island. However due to the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order issued by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, all parks remain closed and people are asked to remain in their vehicles while visiting the park.

The seasonal road will be open to vehicles from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

The salamanders were the focus of a 2019 study led by Northern Michigan University ecology student Eli Bieri along with NMU biology professor Jill Leonard and the SWP. The 429 salamanders killed on Peter White Drive during the brief migratory window represented an estimated 10% of the total migrating salamander population.

“Reducing road mortalities from 429 in 2019 to only three in 2020 is an outstanding achievement that Marquette should be proud of,” Bieri said in a social media post. “We identified an issue and came together as a community to fix it.”

The solution, he said, was low-cost in terms of both effort and financial burden.

“It felt good to watch salamanders crossing the road at Presque Isle Park this spring, this time with the knowledge that they would make it to their breeding pools safely,” Bieri said. “I hope the city is able to maintain a safe passage for salamanders in future years, whether through a road closure or under-the-road ecopasses. It’s a bit of good news during these crazy times.”

The SWP said that along with the city of Marquette and NMU, it plans to continue the salamander protection initiative during future migration seasons.

Christie Mastric can be reached at cbleck@miningjournal.net.