Photo of an eastern hellbender (J.D. Kleopfer/ VA DWR)
BOONE, N.C. - A little-known marine animal that spends much of its time under rocks is getting a helping hand from conservationists in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The hellbender is a large, aquatic salamander that favors clean, cool water, but its population has been in significant decline since the 1970s.
"Their decline has been noted for a longtime, but there are significant efforts being made to save the species," said Andy Hill, the Watauga riverkeeper and regional director of MountainTrue, a non-profit environmental organization based in Asheville, North Carolina.
These salamanders are often called "Allegheny alligators," "snot otters" and even "devil dogs", but aren’t harmful to humans.
The eastern hellbender and the Ozark hellbender are two well-known subspecies, but the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that the population has dropped by about 70% since the 1970s.
"They are perfectly camouflaged despite being at most two and a half feet long," Hill said. They’re kind of bizarre-looking. They’re very large. They’re greenish-gray color, and they breathe through their skin. So, they have kind of become a symbol for what can be saved and what can be lost."
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Conservation groups have identified issues such as pollution and erosion as being the suspected causes of the decline.
As a result, dam removal projects along the Watauga River in western North Carolina are expected to lead to environmental improvements for the species.
"Cleaner, colder waters can now flow downstream," Hill said. "We’re seeing trout now come up the river, and the aquatic activity is almost instantaneous. We’re seeing tangible benefits for dam removal in real-time."
Despite being a town of less than 20,000 residents, Boone, North Carolina, has made one of their missions to protect the species.
"The hellbenders are having a real moment here," said Leila Jackson, the communications director for the Blue Ridge Conservancy. "It’s funny. We have two professional sports teams that are known as the sasquatches and the local joke is really that we should have picked the hellbenders. Because they’ve always been here, but they’re shy, and they’re not often seen. And so all of a sudden, people are taking note."
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Mural puts focus on species
As part of the education efforts, the community is unveiling a mural dedicated to the species. The vibrant artwork was drawn by artist Josh Johnston and sits along the side of a building in the heart of Boone.
The artwork was said to be the idea of the downtown development board and a local arts council.
"This oddly charismatic species are having a moment," said Jackson. "It is definitely the first salamander mural. We do have a mural for Doc and Merle Watson, local musicians, but this is the first animal-based one."
Despite the recent progress with the species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently examining whether to add the eastern hellbenders to the endangered species list.
Hill stated that the lack of a solid population count for the animal could hinder its chances of officially falling under the Endangered Species Act, but that is not stopping states and local groups from taking action.
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