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Students at Davidson Elementary check a coverboard. |
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Coverboards
provide an artificial, yet suitable artificial microhabitat
for many amphibians and reptiles. Coverboards are simply large
pieces of plywood laid on the ground that can be lifted and
the ground underneath searched for animals. Simulating a natural
cover object, the coverboard attracts amphibians and reptiles
who are looking for a good hiding spot. Coverboards are placed
in areas and, after a couple of months, periodically checked
to find snakes, salamanders, frogs, and some lizards.
Unlike traps, coverboards do not need to be checked on a daily
basis. The Catawba River Corridor Coverboard Project represents
a method by which various organizations can collaborate on a
project that allows for the collection of valuable scientific
data on the distribution of amphibians and reptiles while simultaneously
providing valuable opportunities for education about our natural
world. |
