I just drove home in the dark on the new paved road that goes through the UNB Woodlot. This new road is littered with the bodies of dozens of dead and dying frogs (species unknown) plus many live frogs awaiting the same vehicular fate. What a sad state.
I had mentioned to a friend the other day that this would occur in the spring but I forgot that this can also happen in the summer and fall rains. We have witnessed this type of carnage every year on the Kimble Rd exit which runs parallel to this road through the trees ,sorry,through the remaining trees. The frogs are just small creatures but it is still so sad to see this and other road kill beginnning to appear since this road has opened.
And now with Fredericton shopaholics drooling over the prospects of a COSTCO being built on the edge of the UNB wetlands, there will only be continued suffering for these and other innocent creatures. But my heavens -the stripmalls and the boxstores – those glorious stripmalls and boxstores, our lives were not complete without them . Now we can feel whole as human beings.
But you know, we have short memories, and within a few years we will have a hard time remembering what was there and when we’re gone what was there will mean nothing to those who follow.
As a naturalist it is so upsetting to see wildlife run over like garbage as they go about their natural habits and patterns. Only we can truly see that their lives and their habitat has been permanently fragmented and destroyed.
There is nothing that can be done about this. UNB has made it clear they need the income from this land and cities like Fredericton need to expand in order to grow economically. It is just a shame that such natural repercussions have to follow such progress.
Thanks for allowing me to vent my frustration…..
Ron Wilson
Fredericton NB
