Even animals that live nowhere near a wetland depend on wetlands. This might not seem to make sense at first. Nevertheless, some animals live in other habitats but must return to a wetland to breed. The Jefferson salamander is a perfect example. As an adult, it lives in damp forestlands.
Vernal ponds fill with water in late winter or early spring.
These pond filling and breeding cycles have continued for thousands of years in some areas. It's interesting to think how an animal hatched in a small wetland can live out the rest of its life on dry land. The Jefferson salamander cannot reproduce without wetlands. It lives on the forest floor, but must return to temporary vernal ponds to breed each spring. You might think that all these wonderful fish and wildlife benefits and values would convince us to protect wetlands better.