The Federally endangered and California State fully-protected Santa Cruz long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum) (SCLTS) occurs in southern Santa Cruz and northern Monterey counties in California, with a limited range encompassing approximately 16 miles long (north to south) by 5 miles wide (east to west). The six existing metapopulations are separated by natural and anthropogenic barriers, resulting in a fragmented landscape. Threats from genetic isolation within each metapopulation are becoming increasingly severe and represent a serious threat to persistence of this species. California Highway 1 bisects the species range along the middle of its north-south axis. This project supports the goal of increasing genetic exchange by restoring connectivity between two metapopulations that are currently genetically isolated: the Ellicott-Buena Vista and Larkin Valley Metapopulations.
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) have undertaken a collaborative project to study the feasibility, design alternatives, and cost of implementing a wildlife undercrossing on Highway 1 that would allow SCLTS and other wildlife to safely travel under the highway between the Ellicott-Buena Vista and Larkin Valley metapopulations.
With the support of a California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) Grant, the goal of the project is to study the feasibility of modifying an existing culvert to facilitate use by the endangered Santa Cruz long-toed salamander for the purpose of ensuring successful dispersal under Highway 1 in southern Santa Cruz County. This location has been determined by the USFWS and CDFW as being the most effective location to provide connectivity between the two isolated metapopulations of SCLTS. Facilitating connectivity at this location would promote protection and recovery efforts for the endangered SCLTS while benefiting other native wildlife species by allowing reliable safe passage under the highway to access suitable habitat located on both sides.
In support of the project, Caltrans is compiling a Project Initiation Document (PID) that includes a preliminary environmental analysis, preliminary engineering designs, and cost estimates for the proposed wildlife crossing. WCB grant funds are supporting specialized studies and reviews by herpetofauna experts to inform the PID process, as well as facilitating partner collaboration, landowner outreach, and development of a funding plan for implementation. This project is the critical first step in creating CEQA-ready engineering designs for a crossing to facilitate species dispersal between isolated metapopulations.