{"id":2494,"date":"2014-07-12T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-07-12T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.blog.sdps-bbs.com\/?p=2494"},"modified":"2025-07-29T13:39:42","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T17:39:42","slug":"hellbenders-often-called-snot-otters-decline-continues-in-16-states","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/hellbenders-often-called-snot-otters-decline-continues-in-16-states\/","title":{"rendered":"Hellbenders, Often Called Snot Otters, Decline Continues In 16 States"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

As hellbenders continue to decline, Dr. Rod Williams and his research team have been sharing awareness of how important it is that these salamanders continue to thrive in the current ecosystem.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

\"Mesker<\/a><\/p>\n

Eastern hellbenders are the largest salamander in North America. Adults can reach 29 inches in length, though most individuals are typically 11-24 inches long. Clean water is important for Hellbenders because they obtain most of their oxygen from the water by \u201cbreathing\u201d through their skin. When breathing, their fleshy folds expand in surface area, enabling them to absorb more oxygen from the water.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Hellbender populations are declining across their range, from Missouri to New York. This decline, which affects the hellbender population in Indiana’s Blue River, is likely caused by human influences such as habitat degradation and destruction. The stream-bottom habitat of hellbenders can be degraded by sediment from eroded banks and fields and destroyed when streams are dammed or dredged. Hellbenders are also captured inadvertently by anglers or purposefully for illegal sale in the pet trade. Finally, emerging diseases may be impacting some populations of hellbenders.<\/p>\n

Many states are developing conservation programs to help the hellbender. For more information and to learn more on conservation efforts, view Help the Hellbender<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Dr. Rod Williams and his hellbender research team have recently made national news:<\/p>\n

CBS News
\nTrying To Save The Hellbender, America’s Largest Salamander<\/a>
\nJuly 10, 2014<\/p>\n

Resources:<\/strong>
\nHelp the Hellbender Facebook page<\/a>
\nAsk the Expert: Learn All About Hellbenders and Take a Tour<\/a>, Subscribe Purdue Extension \u2013 Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Channel
\nAsk the Expert video:\u00a0Help the Hellbender \u2013 Dr. Stephen Spear of The Wilds<\/a>, Purdue Extension \u2013 FNR YouTube Channel
\nAsk the Expert video:\u00a0Live with Mesker Park Zoo and Botanical Gardens \u2013 Hellbenders<\/a>, Purdue Extension \u2013 FNR YouTube Channel
\nA Moment in the Wild video:\u00a0Hellbender Hide<\/a>, Purdue Extension \u2013 FNR YouTube Channel
\nA Moment in the Wild video:\u00a0Release Moment of Hellbenders<\/a>,
\nHow Anglers and Paddlers Can Help the Hellbender video<\/a>, Purdue Extension \u2013 FNR YouTube Channel
\nEastern Hellbender ID Video<\/a>, Purdue Extension \u2013 FNR YouTube Channel
\nHellbenders Rock!<\/a>, The Education Store, Purdue Extension\u2019s resource center
\nHelp the Hellbender, North America\u2019s Giant Salamander<\/a>, The Education Store
\nHow Our Zoos Help Hellbenders<\/a>, The Education Store
\nThe Nature of Teaching:\u00a0Adaptations for Aquatic Amphibians<\/a>, The Education Store
\nHealthy Water, Happy Home \u2013 Lesson Plan<\/a>, The Education Store
\nPurdue Expert: Hellbender Salamander<\/a>, Purdue University News YouTube Channel
\nFNR Assists in First Natural Breeding of Eastern Hellbender in Captivity<\/a>, Purdue FNR News & Stories
\nHelping the Hellbender: Mesker Park Zoo Begins Captive Breeding Efforts<\/a>, Purdue Agriculture News<\/p>\n

Rod Williams<\/a>, Professor of Wildlife science and Assistant Provost for Engagement at Purdue University
\nDepartment of Forestry and\u00a0Natural Resources, Purdue University<\/p>\n

Diana Evans<\/a>, Extension Information Coordinator
\nDepartment of Forestry and\u00a0Natural Resources, Purdue University<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As hellbenders continue to decline, Dr. Rod Williams and his research team have been sharing awareness of how important it is that these salamanders continue to thrive in the current ecosystem. Eastern hellbenders are the largest salamander in North America. Adults can reach 29 inches in length, though most individuals are typically 11-24 inches long. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39,44,54],"tags":[57,62,72],"class_list":["post-2494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-aquaculturefish","category-gotnatureforkids","category-wildlife","tag-aquaculturefish","tag-got-nature-for-kids","tag-wildlife","audience-for-enthusiasts","audience-for-homeowners","audience-for-landowners","audience-for-professionals"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2494","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2494"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2494\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33625,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2494\/revisions\/33625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2494"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2494"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2494"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}