Ambystoma texanum

On April 8, 2005, the "small-mouthed salamander" (Ambystoma texanum) was found on the site where the School District was engaged in trying to catch frogs, snakes, etc. for transport to a new "pond" after the existing one is filled in (a parking lot will replace it).

When confronted with the unexpected find, one would have expected that the School District, in its stated commitment to build an environmentally friendly school to have an environmental educational opportunity for its students, would have stopped all work on the site. Instead, people are still (as of 4/16/05) trampling through the wetland to capture and store some small percentage of animals before the rest are bulldozed.

Even the discovery of an endangered species is not enough to have the School District come to its senses and do the right thing. In fact the Superintendent was quoted on the radio (WEMU, 4/14/05) as saying that "endangered is a relative term" and that in some states this species "is used for fish bait." Of course this is untrue. Jim Petranka, Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina, being the expert of experts on salamanders, has given information that calls into question just about everything the Superintendent, the District, and the Board are doing in terms of "mitigation", continuing to work on the site, and characterization of the animal.

This is an endangered species in Michigan. That speaks for itself. All work on the site should stop! Call the Superintendent (734-994-2200) and tell him that he should be ashamed of himself for teaching the students of Ann Arbor exactly the wrong thing when it comes to the environment.

The species was identified by Greg Schneider, Collection Coordinator of the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.
The District has not stopped the work on the site and people continue to trample the wetland capturing animals.
The District and its contractors are scrambling for a plan to move the animals, including the endangered species, but they know nothing will work.
CRS has contacted many herpetologists and experts on this species and they all doubt there is any way to safely move this endangered species.
What will the effect be on the School District's rush to "move" the wetland and all the animals that it cannot move in time for its deadline?
Contact the Board to demand they hold up groundbreaking until they handle this properly.
Contact the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to urge them to put a stop to the School District's continued disruption of an endangered species' environment.
See the DNR page or the USGS page on this endangered species.
Read about Ambystoma texanum.

	Fighting Mismanagement in the Ann Arbor Public Schools District "If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about answers" — Thomas Pynchon

Main Archives Page (New High School) Environment Land Use Traffic School size Demographics Safety Archaeology Alternative sites In the News About CRS Write a letter ! Contact Us Home Page	Endangered Species (Ambystoma texanum) On April 8, 2005, the "small-mouthed salamander" (Ambystoma texanum) was found on the site where the School District was engaged in trying to catch frogs, snakes, etc. for transport to a new "pond" after the existing one is filled in (a parking lot will replace it). When confronted with the unexpected find, one would have expected that the School District, in its stated commitment to build an environmentally friendly school to have an environmental educational opportunity for its students, would have stopped all work on the site. Instead, people are still (as of 4/16/05) trampling through the wetland to capture and store some small percentage of animals before the rest are bulldozed. Even the discovery of an endangered species is not enough to have the School District come to its senses and do the right thing. In fact the Superintendent was quoted on the radio (WEMU, 4/14/05) as saying that "endangered is a relative term" and that in some states this species "is used for fish bait." Of course this is untrue. Jim Petranka, Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina, being the expert of experts on salamanders, has given information that calls into question just about everything the Superintendent, the District, and the Board are doing in terms of "mitigation", continuing to work on the site, and characterization of the animal. This is an endangered species in Michigan. That speaks for itself. All work on the site should stop! Call the Superintendent (734-994-2200) and tell him that he should be ashamed of himself for teaching the students of Ann Arbor exactly the wrong thing when it comes to the environment. The species was identified by Greg Schneider, Collection Coordinator of the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. The District has not stopped the work on the site and people continue to trample the wetland capturing animals. The District and its contractors are scrambling for a plan to move the animals, including the endangered species, but they know nothing will work. CRS has contacted many herpetologists and experts on this species and they all doubt there is any way to safely move this endangered species. What will the effect be on the School District's rush to "move" the wetland and all the animals that it cannot move in time for its deadline? Contact the Board to demand they hold up groundbreaking until they handle this properly. Contact the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to urge them to put a stop to the School District's continued disruption of an endangered species' environment. See the DNR page or the USGS page on this endangered species. Read about Ambystoma texanum.