What are eastern hellbender salamanders and where are they found?
Are they easy to spot? Eastern hellbenders, which can grow to 30 inches, are the largest salamander species found in the United States. They are an aquatic species that inhabit large streams and rivers. Their distribution in Pennsylvania is in the Ohio, Allegheny, and Susquehanna watersheds, with most animals being found in tributaries to these large systems. Hellbenders are difficult to find for several reasons. First, hellbenders require exemplary water quality in order to survive and reproduce. Habitat loss due to dams, poor agricultural practices, heavy logging and acid mine drainage effects has greatly reduced hellbender populations. Second, hellbenders live under large, heavy rocks that require numerous people to lift. Catching a hellbender is a skill that I equate to blindly trying to grab a water balloon covered with mucus underwater — definitely a learned skill. What do hellbenders eat? Hellbenders feed almost exclusively on crayfish. In winter, when crayfish become less activ
