Cara Bradley, Dennis Township School

Cape May County

Eastern Mud Salamander

Hey watch where you're going. You should pay more attention to where you're going. Help, help he's got my tail. At the last second I dashed away. I scattered as fast as I could down the concrete, at last in the safety of my woods. I am an eastern mud salamander. I have a lot I want people to know about me, I need a lot of protection. And people like you can do a lot to save me and my species.

First here are some things you should know about me. I eat insects, spiders, and earthworms. The way I get around is climb, walk, or run. I accrue in late summer-early fall to lay eggs.

I already told a little about myself. But here's why I need protection, in New Jersey I am threatened there is not much of my species left. If you did not have me you would have a lot more insects and spiders. I am getting my habitat taken away for paper.

I told you why I need protection but here is what you can do to help me. I eat all the poisonous spiders that might bite you and make you sick. You can start building up my habitat more. In addition you can plant trees for me to climb around in. I told you a little about me, why I need protection and what you can do to help me. I need protection because if you did not have me there would be a lot of bugs to deal with. I need you to help by not destroying my habitat. You need to help because you need to stop taking down my habitat and start building it back up.

Cara Bradley

Dennis Twp School

Ocean View, NJ

Ms. Palumbo