Tiger Salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum, movements and mortality on the Trans-Canada highway in southwestern Alberta

Abstract

We report on the mid-season movements and mortality of Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) along the Trans-Canada highway in Kananaskis Country, Alberta. The highway was surveyed for road-killed animals between April and November during 1997, 1998, and 1999. Road-killed Tiger Salamanders were collected on one day in 1998 and eight days in 1999. A minimum of 183 Tiger Salamander mortalities were recorded on a 1.05 km section of highway. The mean snout-to-vent length of eight road-killed salamanders was 103.1 cm. Movement was concentrated in one 300 m section of highway, primarily in one direction, and related to heavy rainfall events and warm weather. It was not clear whether movements were pre-breeding or post-breeding or why there was a sudden eruption in movements away from Chilver Lake.