Hellbenders

So it’s Sunday morning and while getting ready to go to church I have hellbenders on my mind? Hellbenders are the largest North American salamander species, and by that I am talking pretty large, up to two feet in length. That’s a good sized amphibian! Their habitats are North American freshwater streams and rivers and because they prefer clean streams and rivers, hellbenders serve as indicators of stream health. The presence of young and adults is synonymous with good water quality. These big guys breathe through their skin and any toxic substance in the water can have quite a negative impact on their health and lifespan which in the wild can be from 30 to 50 years. The other usual culprits like lawn chemical runoff and pollution are also factors in the hellbender population decline. Some hellbenders are being raised in captivity for release in the wild and scientists recommend planting trees and grasses alongside rivers to improve their chances for survival. The hellbenders and our rivers are depending on us.