HAARETZ (Tel Aviv, Israel) 02 January 08 Goldfish come, and the salamanders stop 'dancing' (Eli Ashkenazi)
Aviram Zuk, head of the Upper Galilee and Golan Heights regions for the Jewish National Fund, has been waiting, as he does at this time every year, for the heavy rains that will herald the spectacular mating season of the salamanders in Biria Forest.
The wondrous sight of the orange-spotted salamanders as they meander slowly toward Ein Naboria at night and then gather around it has become a rare event in the past two years. Whereas in previous winters, dozens of pairs of courting salamanders could be seen "dancing" around the spring, only a few couples arrived this year to procreate and keep their species going.
The salamander is an amphibian: Until adolesence, the tadpoles live in the water, while the adults breathe air and live mainly on land. The orange salamander grows to a length of 15-25 centimeters (6-10 inches), has short legs and a black body with orange or yellow patches. The salamanders need a moist environment, so they find damp places to hide. They eat mainly worms and small insects. When a salamander is attacked, it secretes a venomous substance through pores in its back.
In Israel the orange salamander is a protected species that is in danger of extinction. Environmental disturbances, such as water and soil pollution and the destruction of their breeding grounds are salamanders' biggest enemies in Israel.
During the past two years two more manmade hazards have joined this list, and the salamanders have been affected. First there was the Second Lebanon War, which brought Katyushas raining down on the forest, causing massive fires and seriously damaging the spring's surroundings. The intense heat killed many of the salamanders in their hiding places.
The second threat is in the spring itself - goldfish, apparently brought there by humans who want to immerse themselves in the spring, and put the fish there to eat the algae and "keep the water clean."
"This is a phenomenon that has spread to all the springs used for immersion," says Zuk. "Some people believe goldfish glorify a body of water."
Ein Naboria was the water source for the ancient Jewish settlement of Naboria, which existed during the Second Temple Period (6th century B.C.E to 1st century C.E.), and over the centuries became filled with dirt and overgrown with raspberry bushes. The JNF cleared the area, around which channels and troughs were discovered, hewn into the rock. In recent years the spring has become a favorite rest stop for hikers and a breeding ground for the salamanders. Now the goldfish have made their home here, too.
"This upsets the ecosystem in the water," says Zuk, "and the fish are apparently eating the triton and salamander tadpoles."
JNF inspectors have failed in their attempts to catch the fish, and have therefore invited an expert from Migal: the Galilee Technology Center, which keeps track of fish in the region. The technician will visit Ein Naboria this week and insert an electric device into the water to stun the fish. When they float to the top, they will be collected and removed from the water.
Zuk realizes that the tadpoles will also be affected, but responded that, "the spawning season will continue and we hope that the next batches of eggs will hatch and thrive in peace and quiet, without any unexpected enemies."
The current solution, however is only temporary.
"If people continue putting fish into the water sources in this area, the damage will continue," laments Zuk. "We still don't know how to prevent people from throwing fish into the springs."
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/940715.html
Goldfish come, and the salamanders stop 'dancing'

[ Reply To This Message ] [ Subscribe to this Thread ] [ Show Entire Thread ]