In Which We Render Newt-Aid

We've had rain almost every evening, and on this particular morning, every surface was damp. A bit of fog here and there, a wet road, the sound of water dripping with every breeze (and even without one). I'd describe the conditions as "moist."

My husband wanted to go for a morning jog, so I accompanied him to our local gameland, where I walked around with my camera while he did his run through the woods. Every pond was full of water, and everything was green, green, green!

On our walk back to the house, we encountered a very small red-spotted newt - also commonly referred to as an eastern newt (Notophthalmus viridescens). It was a tiny little fellow, about a half-inch (maybe 1 cm) long.

The poor fellow had an ambulatory problem, with something wrong with the front right leg. It was not moving very quickly, and it was on the road. So I very, very carefully picked it up and removed it to a safer place: a damp spot along the side of the road near a puddle of water.

I learned a few things later: 1) Newts can regrow limbs! 2) In their "red eft" stage (which is what this is), newts leave their ponds and go on walk-about through the woods for several years. 3) Newts can live for up to 15 years in the wild! 4) Sadly, newts and many other amphibians and reptiles are in jeopardy, with their numbers diminishing.

More resources:
The salamanders of Pennsylvania (from the PA Fish and Boat Commission)
The eastern newt (Wikipedia)
How you can help save the salamanders

Perhaps we cannot save them all, but we should help out where we can. And so we wish this little fellow well. Godspeed, young newt, and may you be fruitful and multiply!

The soundtrack to accompany this scene of newt rescue: Neil Diamond, He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother.