OH Press: 137 Salamanders Found Trapped

[Wes von Papineäu]

PLAIN DEALER (Cleveland, Ohio) 12 April 08 Cleveland Metroparks rangers probe attempt to trap salamanders (Michael Sangiacomo)
Brecksville: Cleveland Metroparks rangers are investigating a recent attempt to trap salamanders at the Brecksville Reservation.
Two volunteer naturalists discovered a metal cage containing 137 salamanders in a pond on March 31, Metroparks spokeswoman Jane Christyson said. The volunteers regularly visit the park's ponds to monitor salamanders.
"If the trappers had succeeded, they would have removed half the breeding population of the lake," she said. "Naturalists would have been puzzled about the sudden drop in population."
Christyson said 135 of the captured animals were spotted salamanders; the two others were different varieties.
Park rangers photographed the trap before setting the salamanders free.
While it's illegal to sell wild salamanders in pet shops, Christyson and wildlife officials said hand-raised salamanders sell for $30 to $40 in the pet trade.
Ohio residents under the age of 17 can possess up to four wild salamanders, according to a spokesman for the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Otherwise, they can't be sold, traded or given as gifts unless they were bred in captivity.
Any adult who captures salamanders could be charged with a fourth-degree misdemeanor and could receive a $250 fine and 30 days in jail for each salamander.
Spotted salamanders, though not endangered, are an important part of the ecosystem.
"They tell a lot about the health of the watershed, serve as food for other animals and eat small invertebrates like worms and grubs, keeping that population under control," Christyson said.
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaind...270.xml&coll=2


WEWS (Cleveland, Ohio) 12 April 08 137 Salamanders Found Trapped In Metroparks - Officials Look For Answers
Brecksville, Ohio: More than 100 salamanders were found trapped in the Brecksville Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks.
Two volunteer naturalists discovered a cage with 137 salamanders in a pond on March 31.
Officials said that is half the breeding population of the salamanders in the lake.
It's illegal to sell wild salamanders in pet shops, officials said. However, hand-raised salamanders can sell for $30 to $40.
Adults could be charged with a fourth-degree misdemeanor and could receive a $250 fine and get 30 days in jail for each salamander.
Metroparks officials are looking for who caged the animals.
http://www.newsnet5.com/news/15866751/detail.html

[Paris Reilley]

any idea which specie was involved?