The Hellbender population, already in decline, took another massive hit from Hurricane Helene. The storm that tore through Western North Carolina disrupted many of the salamanders’ habitats.
The Hellbender has already been proposed for endangered species status, but after Hurricane Helene, the salamander population faces a new challenge according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Historic flooding caused rivers and creeks to expand, damaging many river and creek beds.
As a result, Hellbender habitats were disturbed once again, with many believed to have been significantly affected by the disaster, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Hannah Woodburn, an outreach coordinator and biologist at MountainTrue has been monitoring the effects of the waterways.
“The river has been heavily impacted, and many of the large boulders were tossed downstream, causing significant changes in the streambed,” she said.
Although the river was damaged and its structures changed, many Hellbenders that were tagged managed to survive the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene.
“Despite the challenges of the river structure changing, Cathy Jachowski, a researcher at Clemson University who studies Hellbenders, managed to find 56 of the 58 tagged ones,” Woodburn said.
After Hurricane Helene, many Hellbenders were displaced from their habitats and forced to find new homes due to the widespread destruction caused by the storm, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
Even with this positive outcome, the situation could cause long-term difficulties for the species due to the erosion and changes in the rivers and creeks. Hellbenders prefer to live under large rocks and boulders for protection from predators, according to Woodburn.
With spring and summer fast approaching, the Hellbender is important to the ecosystem and the local community because it indicates a variety of positive factors, Woodburn said.
“Hellbenders require very clean water to live, and they have a long lifespan if the conditions are right,” said Leila Jackson, director of communications for Blue Ridge Conservancy.
Hellbenders can live up to 30 years in the wild, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission.
“When asked what people should know about the Hellbender, I’d say it’s crucial to understand that they are a key indicator of water quality,” Jackson said.
Hellbenders are living fossils, estimated to be around 160 million years old. They belong to the Cryptobranchidae family and are linked to the Cretaceous period, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. This connection allows scientists to study how Hellbenders have evolved over millions of years, providing valuable insights into the evolutionary process.
Woodburn said the community can take simple but impactful steps to ensure the safety of Hellbenders.
“I would say monitor stormwater runoff and report when you notice streams turning a chocolate-milky, turbid color in certain areas. Sometimes this can result from a permitted project, but other times it may not,” Woodburn said. “Keeping an eye on sedimentation is important. Also, don’t stack rocks. This is a widespread issue, even with smaller cobblestones, which are ideal spots for larval Hellbenders.”
