Are Great Lakes mudpuppies victims of hurricane Sandy?

Dead Mudpuppies on the shore of Lake Huron

Hurricane Sandy may have had a huge impact on the New York metropolitan area, but it also whipped up 23-foot waves on Lake Huron that may have killed thousands of Mudpuppies.  These large (10-15 inch) aquatic salamanders are native to many lakes and river systems in the eastern half of the U.S., including Lake Champlain and the Great Lakes, where they reside in shallow water.  But the day after Sandy rolled through, the beaches of Lake Huron were covered in dead Mudpuppies.  Some think it was the physical agitation of the water that killed the salamanders, but others are unsure.

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