Ohio zoo's program helps rare, giant hellbender salamanders thrive

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The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is helping to grow the population of the endangered eastern hellbender salamander.

Hellbenders, North America's largest amphibian, are an indicator of good water quality in Ohio's streams.

Conservation efforts include raising hellbenders from eggs and releasing them back into protected waterways.

In 2023, a zoo-raised hellbender was confirmed to be reproducing in the wild, marking a major success for the program.

They sound like creatures someone made up: 2 feet long, covered in slime, and elusive despite their size.

But no, hellbenders are real . And this rare and endangered species' population is growing thanks to the conservation efforts of an Ohio zoo and its partners. And that comeback is also a good sign for the water quality