Andrew Tran, Lincoln School
Hudson County
Eastern Mud Salamander. Hudson County. Andrew Tran
The Eastern Mud Salamander
Pleasure to meet you! I’m Mudball, an adventurous Eastern Mud Salamander! Let me give you an overview. I am a red (my favorite color!) salamander with flecks of black dots on my body. My body is five inches long, which isn’t bad because adult Eastern Mud Salamanders usually measure three to eight inches long. That’s as long as a pencil! I have brown eyes, unlike my Northern Red Salamander companions. Here I am right now, living in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. The forest suits me well, especially when it rains where the dirt gets muddy! Low elevation swamps, bogs, springs, and streams with mud and clear, clean water also suits me. As long as these areas have leaf litter, logs, stones, bark, or even creek banks to excavate tunnels, you might have a chance at finding me! Last but not least, insects, spiders, and earthworms are my favorite late-night snack. Between you and me, my mother sometimes makes me feed on peculiar insects that have a distinct taste...almost like broccoli. Ugh!
Now, time for serious business. Over these years, my species have been vanishing like ghosts. Our salamander scientists, yes, believe it or not, have inferred and confirmed that habitats reconstructed for human populations caused our population to decline. Plus, humans stealing our water and polluting the water made life crucial. It’s like a problem impacting our whole species like a meteor!
It’s not too late! We’re only threatened! You can rearrange our course and let us thrive again on this wonderful planet. All you need to do is stop using our habitat as a home or at least bring us to an animal sanctuary. You should stop using water obsessively and poisoning it. Please, with cherries on top, help Eastern Mud Salamander families! I appreciate it! Oh, I think my mom is calling me for supper. See you later!
Written by: Andrew Tran
Lincoln School, Kearny
Teacher: Mrs. Kimberly Kyak