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Did you know salamanders are dying?

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You heard me. Salamanders are dying and
we're killing them

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It turns out that many of our farms use
bad practices that are causing frog,

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toad and salamander populations to drop
at an alarming rate

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Endangered amphibian populations have
been declining by 12 percent

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each year. Over a third of amphibian
populations in the US

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are declining rapidly and here's why
It's cheap and easy for big farms to use

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chemicals like herbicides and pesticides
to kill any weeds or bugs in their

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fields
However we should not be spraying

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wildlife with chemicals without
considering the repercussions they have

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on the environment
Salamanders are especially vulnerable to

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chemicals because they have permeable
skin

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This means their skin has pores or
openings that permit liquids or gases to

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pass through
Think of salamanders as a sponge for

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herbicides and pesticides
Some salamanders can even consume water

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or food infected with chemicals
Scientists have shown that these

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chemicals have long-term effects on
salamander populations

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Common herbicides and pesticides such as
Atrazine and Round-up

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can prevent the growth of young
salamanders, cause life-threatening

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deformities or even kill salamanders
This is a problem. Even if farmers didn't

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spray chemicals
large farms tend to destroy acres of

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natural salamander habitat
forcing salamanders to find homes on

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polluted land or die
Studies show that habitats with more

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forest cover have larger populations of
salamanders

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When we cut down trees we remove shade
and heat up the forest floor

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This can kill salamanders or dry up
pools that they breed in

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So why should we care? Salamanders are
cute but

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you probably don't see very many on a
daily basis

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It turns out the US is home to one-third
of the world's salamanders

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There are 190 species of salamanders in
North America alone

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and they play a key role in our
ecosystem and our lives

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Salamanders eat insects and pests that
we don't usually like

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They help prevent disease, rodent
infestation and crop destruction

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They can also reduce the impacts of
climate change by eating insects that

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speed up the release of carbon dioxide
and methane from dead plants

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Farmers should consider introducing
salamander populations to their farms

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instead of using pesticides

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One example of a corporation making a
good decision for the environment is the

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conservation easement made by the Betteravia farms and the Land Trust for Santa

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Barbara County in California.
This easement preserved 430 acres of

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natural habitat for salamanders to live
on

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and designated the alternative land for
normal farming practices

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You see? A step in the right direction.
So what can you do? One, shop mindfully

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The farms you choose to support have a
real impact on salamanders

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Consider buying produce from farmers
that don't use chemical pesticides and

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herbicides
Talk to local farmers at farmers markets

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about the methods they are using to try
to preserve natural habitats and reduce

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their footprint on the environment
Two, protect habitats. You can help

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prevent habitat loss by learning about
the ecosystems in your own community

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There might even be salamanders in your
own backyard

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Consider donating to local
conservatories working to protect

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natural habitats near your home. Three,
speak up. You can support salamander

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populations by putting pressure on large
companies to make agreements that reduce

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chemical use and preserve habitats.
Boycotting products,

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signing petitions or sharing this
information with friends

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can encourage farms to make
environmentally friendly decisions

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Let's work together to save the
salamanders

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For more information visit army.usgs.gov