Great Lakes Echo (http://greatlakesecho.org/tag/mudpuppies/)
Almost three-and-a-half years ago Echo reported the discovery of a stable population of mudpuppies in Ontario’s Sydenham River. Mudpuppies are one of the more bizarre-looking creatures that inhabit the Great Lakes region. Their fans are as diverse as adult scientists and young kids. And Echo journalists. Here’s why: When people come across these giant salamanders they inevitably Google around to find something out about them.
Beachcombers report large and unusual salamanders called mudpuppies washed ashore on many Lake Huron beaches during super storm Sandy.
A Sarnia man had to use a snow shovel to remove them.
A bizarre salamander and the endangered, clam-like mussel that relies on it got good news recently from Canadian scientists. Federal researchers found an apparently stable population of mudpuppies in Ontario’s Sydenham River. The research is published in the June issue of the Journal of Great Lakes Research. Mudpuppies are native to the Great Lakes and have beady eyes, slimy skin and feathery gills sticking out of their necks. “I find them very interesting animals, but I can see why the general public wouldn’t rate them up there with bluebirds,” said Jim Harding, herpetology specialist at the Michigan State University Museum.