Endangered Salamanders Thrive in Ohio's Waterways

In a significant conservation milestone, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and The Wilds have released over 100 rare and endangered giant salamanders in protected waterways across eastern Ohio. The release involved 116 juvenile eastern hellbenders, the largest amphibians in North America, as part of a collaborative effort to recover the declining species.

Hellbenders, also known as "snot otters" due to their slippery protective coating, have faced dramatic population declines due to habitat loss, pollution, and sedimentation. However, the recent release marks a major step forward in the recovery efforts. Greg Lipps, a conservation biologist at the zoo, emphasized the importance of this work, stating, "This is quiet work that adds up. One stream, one release, one more sign that clean water and wildlife can thrive together in our community."

The statewide recovery effort is led by the Ohio Hellbender Partnership, which includes the Columbus Zoo, The Wilds, other Ohio zoos, The Ohio State University, and various academic and government organizations. Since 2012, the partnership has released more than 2,000 hellbenders in Ohio, with over 350 released just last year. The latest milestone is the documentation of wild reproduction by previously released hellbenders, a significant achievement in the ongoing efforts to revive the species.