South Park Drive in Berkeley runs through Tilden Regional Park between the newts' upper-elevation summer resting sites and their breeding ponds. Not only is the road a popular commuter route, but the ponds decorate a popular golf course. Newts were getting flattened by the thousands until the East Bay Regional Park District finally began closing the road in 1991. While most park visitors enjoy the road in winter as a wide hiking trail, some, like the gentleman concerned with the newt's nobility, weren't so sure about the closure. But from October through April, South Park Drive remains closed to vehicles to allow the newts safe passage to breeding grounds.
Males generally migrate earlier in the wet season than the females.
Once in the water, their rough brown skin takes on a sleek and, to a female newt, sexy appearance. The skin becomes smooth and hydrodynamic, and its permeability is reduced, preventing excess water absorption. The males' tails flatten rudder-like to propel them through the water. Feet and toes develop blackened rough patches to better grasp the females. Eager males greet the arriving females, and the amorous antics begin.