The striped newt, *Notophthalmus perstriatus*, once thrived in the wetlands and longleaf pine forests of southeastern Georgia and north-central Florida. Today, this small amphibian faces extinction.

With their habitats increasingly destroyed and fragmented by urban development, logging, and climate change, conservationists are scrambling to reverse the species’ decline. Recent efforts by several organizations seek to reintroduce the striped newt into the wild, but challenges remain.

The Newt’s Struggle for Survival

Striped newts are sensitive creatures. They depend on both aquatic and terrestrial habitats to complete their life cycle. They breed in temporary ponds—bodies of water that dry up part of the year—where their larvae can grow without predatory fish. But as droughts become more frequent due to climate change, many of these ponds are drying up too early, leaving larvae without the necessary time to mature. A press release from the Center for Biological Diversity highlights that fire suppression and habitat degradation also contribute to the newt's struggle, further diminishing their chances for survival.

The Center has filed a notice to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) over its decision to deny federal protection to the species under the Endangered Species Act. This decision reversed years of anticipation, during which the newt was considered a candidate for listing but remained on a waiting list without action.

The Center's attorney Chelsea Stewart-Fusek explained, “They’re declining quickly even on relatively protected lands, but we can save them with swift safeguards.”

Without federal protection, the newt remains vulnerable to habitat destruction from agriculture, logging, and urban expansion, all of which continue to alter its already shrinking environment.

Conservation Efforts: A Ray of Hope

Despite these setbacks, conservationists refuse to give up. Organizations like the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) and the Coastal Plains Institute (CPI) have been working to reintroduce captive-bred striped newts into the wild. Since 2017, these groups have collaborated to breed newts and release them into protected areas, such as the Apalachicola National Forest in northern Florida. The DZS has specialized amphibian care staff who oversee breeding, working diligently to recreate the precise conditions required for the species to thrive. A carefully controlled environment mimics the natural ponds where striped newts hatch and grow, allowing the newts to mature before their release.

One promising development occurred in 2023 when CPI and DZS successfully reintroduced 227 newts into a specially constructed pond. Volunteers and staff monitored their progress using drift fences and bucket traps, part of a study to track the survival of these delicate creatures. The monitoring efforts paid off. Some of the newts showed signs of adapting to their new surroundings, and scientists were cautiously optimistic that the population might eventually sustain itself.

As Mark Vassallo, curator of amphibians at DZS, wrote on the Detroit Zoo Blog, “If conditions are right, the newt will be beckoned back to the temporary ponds by rainfall and favorable environmental conditions, where it could potentially breed naturally.”

One of the most successful initiatives to date has been the collaborative effort to restore over 6,000 striped newts to their former habitats. Led by the Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation (OCIC) and supported by partners such as the Amphibian Foundation, these reintroductions provide a glimmer of hope. In July 2024 alone, more than 600 newts were released in northern Florida. These animals, bred and raised in captivity, now have a chance to contribute to the repopulation of dwindling wild populations.

“These releases mark a critical step in our mission to restore striped newts to their former range,” said Steven Greene of OCIC. “Every healthy animal we can restore is a win.”

State-Level Protection Offers Some Support

While federal protection has yet to materialize, the state of Florida officially designated the striped newt as a threatened species in 2022, offering a lifeline. This designation brings some regulatory safeguards to preserve the species’ habitat and mitigate the effects of habitat loss. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) also implemented a Species Action Plan, which outlines 18 key actions to stabilize and eventually grow the newt population. These measures focus on protecting the remaining suitable habitats and managing breeding ponds through controlled burns and water conservation practices.

However, these efforts can only go so far. Striped newts are still losing ground, literally and figuratively, as their habitats continue to degrade. The FWC’s state protections, while helpful, do not provide the level of oversight or resources that federal protection under the Endangered Species Act would.

How Climate Change Exacerbates the Problem

In recent years, climate change has added a new layer of complexity to the striped newt's battle for survival. As droughts intensify, the newts' breeding ponds dry up more frequently and for longer periods. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, these prolonged droughts prevent larvae from maturing into adults, leaving the population unable to replenish itself. Worse still, increased rainfall variability and extreme weather events can introduce predatory fish into breeding ponds, further reducing the likelihood of newts reaching maturity.

The threat posed by climate change is not just limited to water levels. As fire regimes shift, the longleaf pine forests that newts depend on are increasingly choked by dense undergrowth, which limits the open spaces these amphibians need to navigate their terrestrial environments.

A Long Road Ahead

Despite the progress made, the road to recovery for the striped newt is far from over. As advocates push for federal protection, the success of ongoing conservation efforts depends on the support of local governments, landowners, and the public. By preserving both wetlands and upland habitats, managing fire regimes, and ensuring water quality, we may yet save the striped newt from extinction. It’s a daunting task, but conservationists remain hopeful that, with the right protections in place, this delicate species will continue to inch its way back from the brink.

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