Help the Hellbender

Help the Hellbender Visit our official website helpthehellbender.org This page is open to the public.

We encourage posts related to hellbender conservation, ecology, interesting facts, upcoming events, and photos.

09/04/2026

This year old Hellbender is eating a bloodworm, a freshwater midge larvae, that can be found in the same rivers as hellbenders.
The blood worms are very soft and flexible otherwise they would be cut into smaller pieces for these hellbenders.
Brine shrimp was also offered. The majority of the food we offer is commercially sourced frozen food.

08/27/2026

What does it take to get ready for a soft release?
About 1600lbs of limestone riprap cobble is moved to the selected release site and placed in a steel mesh cage to create our cobble beds. Hellbender prey will naturally colonize the cobble bed!
On the day of release a mesh cage with zippers is placed over the wire cage.
Hellbenders are added to the mesh cage and they can move through the wire cage to hide in the cobble.
After 3 days the mesh cage is removed and the hellbenders can leave the cobble bed when they feel comfortable!

08/20/2026

This summer we released our 1,000th Hellbender into the Blue River!
Our program started releasing hellbenders in 2017, and so far we have released over 1,180!
We have released at 13 different sites, over half of which are privately owned. Thank you to all the landowners who have worked with us!
We also couldn't have done it without support from the Indiana DNR, Ohio DNR, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, and all of our other partners, especially the Fort Wayne Zoo, Mesker Park Zoo and Indianapolis Zoo for help raising the animals!

08/20/2026

This summer, our Help the Hellbender research group released its 1,000th eastern hellbender back into the wild in the Blue River. We have released 218 hellbenders into the Blue River this year, bringing the total released in the river to 1,189 since 2017, and to 1,251 total in the state of Indiana. The annual reported survival rate is around 70% based off studies in 2017, 2021 and 2024. Hellbenders are between three and a half and five and a half years old at the time of their releases. Here's a look at a couple releases where you can see the hellbenders making themselves comfortable in their new homes. Hellbenders are soft released into mesh cages to let them acclimate to their new environment. After three days, the cages are removed to allow the hellbenders to leave when they feel comfortable. Animals released this summer were raised by Fort Wayne Zoo , Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden and Indianapolis Zoo .

08/19/2026

Check out this concert coming up in St. Louis August 28th!
Proceeds benefit the Ron and Karen Gellner Center for Hellbender Conservation at the St. Louis Zoo which does amazing work with both Eastern and Ozark Hellbender repatriation!

08/14/2026

Hellbenders live in rivers and streams just like this one!
They are also great places for us to take a break and enjoy being in nature!

This week over 110 researchers from universities, zoos and aquariums, state and federal agencies and other conservation ...
08/07/2026

This week over 110 researchers from universities, zoos and aquariums, state and federal agencies and other conservation organizations met in Chattanooga for the 11th Hellbender Symposium!

There were so many great speakers and topics!
Some of the talks included hellbender populations in the wake of Hurricane Helene, hellbender egg clutches with multiple parents, seasonal movements, novel ways to test for stress, and hybridization and movements of the Japanese Giant Salamanders in Japan!

It's always so encouraging to be in the room with so many individuals passionate about giant salamanders, their habitats and how to protect them for generations to come.

Big shout out to Chattanooga Zoo for hosting a great meeting and the planning committee. Hope the next meeting will be just as great!

07/30/2026

Hellbenders unique coloration and spot pattern helps them blend into the stream bottom!
They can be different shades or combinations of brown, orange or green.
Their spot patterns can range from many to almost none and can also vary in color!

07/24/2026

Happy National Zookeeper Week to all the dedicated, passionate hardworking zoo keepers across the country!

Zoo keepers tirelessly provide expert care for their animals, through good days and bad, rain and wind, heat waves and ice storms!

Over 13 zoos and aquariums raise hellbenders for release back to the wild!

Check out your local Zoo to see what conservation programs they support and give a big thank you to all the keepers!



07/16/2026

Is that a ghost!?
Close, it's a Hellbender's shed skin!

Hellbenders shed their skin as they grow. Like most amphibians, Hellbender eat their skin as they shed, because the skin is rich in proteins and other nutrients.

This shed skin got caught on an air bubble, allowing it to float in the current.

Can you make out the toes on the different feet?

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