Chileno Valley Newt Brigade
Newsletter Archive

The Chileno Valley Newt Brigade went mainstream with an entry in 42nd Annual Petaluma Butter & Egg Days Parade on April 19th. We had no idea how fun it would be to march along in front of 30,000 visitors. Our "newty" ambassadors passed out cards and acted out “newt rescues” with the little kids along the parade route.

The brigadiers sewed wonderful amphibian and reptile costumes, Sally wore a vintage Brigadier General hat and our signs were bright and colorful. Sam and Katy Cohen followed in their ‘50s vintage Chrysler 300, as we marched along led by Eric Gold tapping on his vintage 1950s parade drum.

The CVNB’s rescue efforts during the 2024–2025 migration season were a tremendous success, thanks to the dedication of our 80+ brigadiers. These passionate volunteers braved the elements night after night, carefully rescuing newts, frogs, and other amphibians. Having such an active and committed group for six consecutive years is truly extraordinary, and we couldn’t be prouder of our team!

This season brought some notable changes. While we rescued and removed fewer newts (Taricha torosa and Taricha granulosa) than in previous years, we observed a remarkable increase in California Red-legged Frogs (Rana draytonii)—three times more than in any prior season!

Here’s a snapshot of our results:

• Newts saved: 3,511 adults and 2,127 juveniles
• Newts removed (deceased): 719 adults and 543 juveniles
• Red-legged Frogs saved: 827
• Red-legged Frogs removed (deceased): 185

Many of the deceased animals were collected for research by UC Davis students, helping to further our understanding of local amphibian populations.

Compared to last year, the number of newts encountered dropped by about 10,000 individuals. We believe this decline is partly due to the severe drought five years ago, as newts take around five years to reach breeding age. During this time Laguna Lake dried out completely and was plowed and planted in silage. In contrast, the number of Red-legged Frogs we saved tripled compared to last season!

We are deeply grateful to our incredible volunteers for their unwavering commitment to our rescue and data collection efforts!

New Grant from California Fish and Wildlife

Due to the large number of Red-legged Frogs recorded this season, California State Fish and Wildlife added research funding to our feasibility grant. The animal crossing design will now accommodate California Red-legged Frogs as well as newts. The Feasibility Study is due to be completed at the end of this year.

Several of our newt brigadiers attending the first California Wildlife Reconnected Conference in Sacramento this past March. The purpose of the conference was to develop strategies for building wildlife crossings in California. Interest in wildlife crossings is increasing, although amphibians crossings are low on the list. It is heart-warming to see professional support for safe crossings. We are slowly entering the mainstream!

"The first collaborative workshop for California Wildlife Reconnected happened on March 21st at the California Natural Resources Agency headquarters in Sacramento and was attended by close to two-hundred participants representing groups including State of California staff, nonprofit conservation leaders, scientists and businesses – who came together for an all-day workshop to develop a comprehensive action plan that will guide, advance and implement connectivity efforts. People represented an array of projects from across the state, from the Chileno Valley Newt Brigade working to save a population of newts, to a number of organizations wanting to restore connectivity to the Lake Tahoe Basin, to members of the Irvine Laguna Wildlife Corridor Working Group, and many more." https://wildlifecrossingfund.org/california-wildlife-reconnected/

Partners With Purpose

• People In Iceland Are Collecting Baby Puffins In The Streets And Throwing Them Back Into The Ocean
• Bridges and Tunnels in Colorado Are Helping Animals Commute
• Virginia’s Wildlife Corridor Action Plan
• Wildlands Network: Protect Wildlife With Safe Crossings
• TurtlTracker: Over 60% of turtle species are endangered or threatened, and road mortality is a significant contributor

In early Spring, 2025, the talented Stephanie O’Niell Patison walked Chileno Valley Road road interviewing Newt Brigadiers. The result was this "All Things Considered" nation-wide report on NPR.