Volunteers both young and old jumped out of bed early Saturday to help with the annual newt count at Bouverie Audubon Preserve.
Adult volunteers paired up with students, ages 13 to 18, and combed the trail along the creek, measuring and identifying the wiggly newts. Feb. 7 was the first day of the count, which will go every Saturday into May.
Volunteers counted 69 newts on Saturday – not too bad given a single day’s count might range from just a dozen to a few hundred of the amphibians. Between 1987 and 2003, there were 31,458 newt sightings tallied, an average of about 1,700 each year.
John Peterson, currently the preserve manager, started the newt count in 1987.
“No one really knew anything about them, including which species they were and when they went to the creek to breed,” said preserve biologist Jeanne Wirka.
The count’s changed a bit – “They did all kinds of crazy things,” said Wirka. The early years included a 24-hour newt count that had volunteers going out every hour, even 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. in the morning.
The goal hasn’t been to count every newt on the preserve, but rather to monitor when the newts are most active and breeding. In 1995, long-time docent Louise Bielfelt recruited the Juniper group to help out. The “Junipers” are about 70 to 100 active junior naturalists who help out with a number of research projects around the preserve. Many third- and fourth-graders visit the preserve each year to hike with volunteer docents. If the docents spot a child with a special spark or a deep interest in nature, they nominate him or her for the Juniper program. The kids then go through five Saturdays of training when they are in fifth grade.
“The thing that all kids love here more than anything else is the newts,” said Wirka. “I was one of those kids who really loved to be outside. The Junipers are real fun to teach and to be with.”
The kids scoop up every newt they find and determine the species and whether the newt is ready to breed. A male newt generally has rough skin, but it becomes smoother when the newt is ready to breed, allowing it to stay in the water longer. Its vents also swell. The females become “gravid,” having a swollen stomach that “feels pebbly – I don’t know how to explain it,” said Wirka.
The number of newts varies every year. The initial hypothesis was that the number of newts had to do with whether it was a good rain year, but they found that’s not the case. Sometimes when it rains, there aren’t as many as on the dry days.
Wirka said it seems the activity has to more to do with when they were ready to breed, usually around April.
The preserve is unique in that its home to all three newts that are found west of the Rocky Mountains – the California, rough-skinned and the red-belly newt. The latter variety makes up 95 percent of the preserve’s population.
“That’s one reason this place is special,” said Wirka. “Red-belly newts need a flowing stream to breed. It’s ideal habitat for them.”
When Wirka started a few years ago, they debated whether to continue the newt count. She was all for it – not just because they already had years of data but because they have new questions.
“People are very concerned about amphibians because of climate change,” said Wirka. “One-third of amphibians world-wide are of concern because their populations are declining.”
The data at Bouverie is a unique opportunity to evaluate the stability of the population. The concern is that climate change might affect the triggers that prompt newts to climb out of the ground and head to the creek to breed. “I feel lucky because we have this database that goes back so far,” said Wirka.
Bouverie Preserve was donated to Audubon Canyon Ranch by David Bouverie in 1979 to educate and inspire a deep appreciation of nature among future generations of children. The preserve offers visitors a rare look at unspoiled and diverse ecosystems including oak woodland, mixed evergreen forest, chaparral, and an amazing array of spring wildflowers, all surrounding the Stuart Creek Canyon. The preserve’s environmental education programs, led by volunteer docents, serve thousands of visitors each year. The public can visit Bouverie Preserve through guided nature walks scheduled on selected Saturdays throughout the year. Prior reservations are required.
All About Amphibians
On Saturday, Feb. 14, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bouverie Preserve biologist Jeanne Wirka will present a Backyard Naturalist Program called “All About Amphibians.” As home to almost all of the types of amphibians found in Sonoma County, the 535-acre Bouverie Preserve of Audubon Canyon Ranch is the perfect location to learn about them. This class will cover basic amphibian life cycles and fun facts about these amazing creatures. Much of the time will be spent on the trail where proper “herp handling” etiquette will be discussed. The workshop goes on rain or shine. Participants should bring a lunch, dress warmly, and wear hiking shoes or boots. Cost is $25. For more information or to register, call (415) 868-9244, email acr@egret.org or visit www.egret.org.
