NJ Press: Water Gap road closed for amphibian crossing

[Wes von Papineäu]

NEW JERSEY HERALD (Newton, New Jersey) 09 March 08 Water Gap road closed for amphibian crossing
Middle Smithfield, Pa.: The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area closed a portion of River Road on Saturday to let frogs, salamanders and other amphibians cross safely.
Rainy, mild days like Saturday are the trigger that gets the animals out, and future River Road closures should be expected through the season.
The road, which runs parallel to the Delaware River on the Pennsylvania side, is a common crossing area for the wood frogs, spotted salamanders and spring peepers that "feel the ancestral urge to search the environment for prospective mates," Water Gap officials said.
Cars driving down the road during the crossings "have taken a massive toll" on the amphibian population.
Crossings are made primarily at night, so most closures will be between approximately 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Gates will be closed and locked, blocking access to the road from the Hialeah picnic area at the southern end of the park, up to the Water Gap headquarters near the intersection of Hidden Lake Road and River Road.
Skirting the gates can result in minimum fines of $50 to $150, and the potential for injury to others is a criminal offense.
http://www.njherald.com/secure_story...8247409124.php