HOMEBODIES: Part of what makes hellbenders so vulnerable is that “hellbenders are homebodies,” said ecologist and Watauga Riverkeeper Andy Hill. They pick a rock to live under and mostly stay there unless starving or looking for a mate. Photo by Hill
Welcome to DKos Asheville
EST 2/13/2011
This space appears each weekend to share links to news and opinion from Asheville and Western North Carolina. The floor is open for comment and discussion. Wishing all a good day from this still beautiful part of the world.
“Daily Kos fights for a progressive America by empowering its community and allies with information and tools to directly impact the political process.”
Working on the road this week and time has not been my friend for producing a Saturday post. If you don’t know about hellbenders, here’s your chance. Have a good weekend and thanks for your patience during these holiday Saturdays.
By Katie Myers
This coverage is made possible through a partnership between BPR and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization.
After years of urging from conservationists, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to add the eastern hellbender to the national endangered species list. This would protect the salamander throughout its range across 15 states from New York to Illinois to Mississippi.
Eastern hellbenders are a slimy, and very loveable brownish-orange salamander that thrive in the pristine, high mountain streams of Western North Carolina. However, their habitat has become increasingly threatened. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s announcement of proposed protections this week would aid conservation efforts to protect the region’s iconic amphibian.
Habitat fragmentation, deforestation, and development have threatened their habitat. Only 12% of the 371 documented eastern hellbender populations are considered stable.
Over half of these communities are in decline, with Western North Carolina hosting one of the most stable hellbender populations in the country. “The eastern hellbender has experienced a substantial reduction in the number of extant populations compared to historical numbers,” according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service proposal.
Unique and widely beloved – with nicknames like the “mudpuppy” and “snot otter” – the hellbender even serves as a local soccer mascot. They’re also the largest salamander in North America.
Thanks for stopping by.
”Be safe out there.” Lamont Cranston
