Community Corner
Newts Put the Move On in Tilden – South Park Drive to Close
Why did the newt cross the road? If the road is South Park Drive in Tilden Regional Park, the newt had much more in mind than simply getting to the other side.
It's time again for the great newt migration of Tilden Park.
Beginning Friday, the park's South Park Drive will be closed for five months to accommodate the annual breeding season of the resident newt population.
It's the time of year when the newts "make their way to streams and ponds to mate when it rains," according to the East Bay Regional Park District.
The newt – a kind of salamander five to six inches long – takes it easy in a dormant state during the dry season.
The road will be closed to automobiles Nov. 1 to April 1. Pedestrians and bicyclists may still use the road but are asked "to proceed slowly and carefully to avoid newts crossing the road," Tilden Park Supervisor Sergio Huerta says on the park district website.
You also shouldn't touch the newts or allow your dog to touch them.
"They have a substance on their skin that is mildly poisonous to people and other animals," according to the park district. "If you accidentally come in contact with a newt you should always wash your hands."
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