Mudpuppy Palooza will feature fun and educational activities such as mask making, a drawing contest, mudpuppy cookie decorating and a name-the-mudpuppy contest.  The festival will also include zookeeper talks, where visitors can view mudpuppies up close while learning about the species, conservation efforts on its behalf and the equipment used to collect and survey the creatures. 

Admission to the Belle Isle Nature Zoo and all Mudpuppy Palooza activities are free.

The mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) is the second-largest salamander in the western hemisphere and is considered an important part of Michigan's aquatic ecosystem.  Unlike its amphibian cousins, the mudpuppy never forms air-breathing lungs, but rather relies on the bushy red gills behind its head to breathe under water.  The slimy salamander is typically brownish-gray with dark spots and a yellowish belly.  A mature mudpuppy ranges in size from 8 to 15 inches.

In 2006, the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo embarked on a program to monitor the Detroit River mudpuppies, conducting “catch and release” surveys to track populations and better detect declines.  Mudpuppies are measured, weighed and implanted with computer chips for identification before being returned to the river. 

While not a threatened species, mudpuppies are considered good environmental indicators of pollution and other potentially detrimental conditions.  The data gathered in the Detroit Zoo mudpuppy surveys provides a valuable baseline for monitoring the health of the Detroit River ecosystem.

The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round and provides educational programming with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks.  Admission is free.  For more information, call (313) 852-4056 or visit www.detroitzoo.org.
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