We did it!

Thanks to everyone who donated, shared, and supported this project and got us to the goal of being 100% funded! This support means to the world to me as a researcher and also means that we can start figuring out how transmission of Bsal might occur in the salamander biodiversity hotspot of the world! With the unique opportunity of being able to prevent spread of this disease before die-offs have occurred, our transmission experiments mean we can better inform recreation and management practices to protect our salamanders!

Be on the lookout for more lab notes and updates as we get experiments underway this fall. Thanks again for your support and enjoy pictures of some of the species you're helping to protect below! :)

 

Eft stage of an Eastern Newt, Notophthalmus v. viridescens, which has a widespread distribution and is fatally susceptible to Bsal.

 

Adult Peaks of Otter salamander, Plethodon hubrichti, which is a micro-endemic species (lives within one small mountain peak range in the Appalachian Mountains). Species such as this are already under the threat of many other pressures (i.e., climate change, habitat loss) and adding Bsal could push them over the edge towards extinction.