Learn About ‘Slime Dogs’ and ‘Snot Otters’ On Belle Isle

DETROIT, MI — The Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) will host its annual Mudpuppypalooza at the Belle Isle Nature Center on Sunday, March 31, 2019, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The free event is a celebration of mudpuppies – large, permanently aquatic salamanders native to the Detroit River.

Mudpuppypalooza features fun and educational activities such as mask making, games, mudpuppy cookie decorating and a scavenger hunt. The event also includes the opportunity to hear from zookeepers who care for the mudpuppies – also known by the nicknames “slime dog” and “snot otter” – at the Belle Isle Nature Center, while learning about the species and the DZS’s conservation efforts on its behalf.

In 2006, the DZS began a long-term program to monitor the Detroit River mudpuppies, conducting catch-and-release surveys to track and better understand the size and health of local populations. The salamanders are briefly captured, measured, weighed and implanted with small computer chips for identification before being returned to the water. The water chemistry of the Detroit River is also tested and logged.

“While not a threatened species, mudpuppies are considered good environmental indicators of pollution and other potentially harmful changes in the ecosystem,” said Dr. Ruth Marcec, DZS director of the National Amphibian Conservation Center. “The data gathered in our mudpuppy surveys provides a valuable baseline for monitoring the health of the Detroit River ecosystem.”

The mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) is the second-largest salamander in the western hemisphere, ranging from 8 to 15 inches long. It is typically brownish-gray with dark spots, a yellowish belly and bushy red gills alongside its head, which it uses to breathe under water.

Operated by the Detroit Zoological Society, the Belle Isle Nature Center sits on a 5-acre site surrounded by undisturbed forested wetlands on Belle Isle in Detroit. The facility features indoor animal habitats, a bee exhibit, bird observation window, outdoor native butterfly garden, outdoor classrooms, nature play area and the Blue Heron Lagoon nature trail.

Located at the east end of Belle Isle near the Blue Heron Lagoon, the Belle Isle Nature Center is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October and Wednesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March. Admission to the Nature Center is free; a State of Michigan Recreation Passport is required for all personal vehicles to enter Belle Isle State Park.

For information, visit belleislenaturecenter.org.