Burlington, Ont., is set to begin its yearly road closure aimed at protecting the endangered Jefferson salamanders.
Starting on March 11, a section of King Road will be off-limits to all traffic except for some local vehicles between North Service Road and Granite Ridge Trail until April 9.
The arrival of these lively little amphibians is a “meaningful” sign that spring is here, Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said in a news release Wednesday.
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A section of King Road has been closed every spring since 2012 to help the Jefferson salamander who live along the Niagara Escarpment. The closure is seen here in March 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)
“Closing King Road during their migration is a small but important step we take to protect an endangered species that calls Aldershot home,” she said. “Protecting biodiversity starts at the local level.”
Local traffic for properties between North Service Road and the escarpment will still be allowed, according to the city, which has implemented this closure for breeding migration since 2012.
Jefferson salamanders are protected by law in Ontario and across Canada. They typically inhabit woodlands and swamps, spending winter underground in forests. In southern Ontario, they primarily reside along the Niagara Escarpment.
As noted by conservation charity Ontario Nature, agricultural expansion and urban development have “severely reduced” their habitat. These amphibians can live for around 30 years but face dangers from roads as well.
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Jefferson salamanders breed in late March, when females can lay up to 300 eggs in masses attached to underwater plants. (Scott Gillingwater/Ontario Nature)
Ontario Nature describes these nocturnal creatures as “black or grey-brown with bluish white spots,” noting they can grow up to 20 centimeters long.
Jefferson Salamanders reproduce in swamps, ponds, and ditches. They mate in late March when females may lay up to 300 eggs clustered on underwater vegetation. Their larvae develop into adult salamanders by late summer.
WATCH | covered the start of the salamander road closures in 2012:
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