Alert! Salamander crossing!

The Jefferson salamander is a slippery, shy little character. The amphibian lives in Ontario and parts of the northeastern United States. As a part of its yearly routine, in spring it migrates to the body of water where it was born to lay new eggs. In the case of a certain group of salamanders, this journey means crossing King Road in Burlington, Ontario. And, unfortunately, this has also led to a lot of little Jefferson salamanders becoming roadkill each year.

That's why since 2012, the city has closed a section of King Road to give these amphibians safe passage to their mating grounds. The salamander is listed as an endangered species in this part of the world, though it's hard to say exactly what their numbers are in the wild. For one, they're nocturnal and rarely seen during the day. But they're also quick-moving and often won't stick around if humans (or predators) are noticed nearby.

But one thing that they can monitor is that salamanders aren't being found dead on the road anymore. Right this way, little salamanders! This road is just for you.