WASHINGTON— In response to more than a decade of advocacy by the Center for Biological Diversity and allies, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed to protect eastern hellbenders as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. In a separate action, the Service also proposed thousands of river miles of critical habitat in 17 states for endangered mussels.

Today’s proposal would extend protection to hellbenders from New York to Georgia, filling in the gaps in previous listings and meaning that all hellbenders are now slated for protection.

“I literally burst into happy tears when I heard that hellbenders were finally going to get the Endangered Species Act protection they need to recover. Hellbenders may be cold and slimy, but they’re so fascinating that they evoke warm and fuzzy feelings,” said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center. “Protecting these giant salamanders will give umbrella safeguards to thousands of other species that rely on clean rivers.”

In 2010 the Center and allies petitioned the Service seeking protection for eastern hellbenders. In 2021 hellbenders from the Missouri River gained protection, but range-wide protections were denied. The Center and allies challenged the denial and a court ordered the Service to redo its analysis, leading to today’s proposal.

Hellbenders face tremendous threats from activities that degrade water quality. Throughout their 15-state range only 12% of populations are stable and successfully reproducing. The range of eastern hellbenders includes Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

Hurricane Helene devastated populations in the healthiest part of their range in North Carolina and Tennessee. Clean-up volunteers found dried out hellbenders that were carried out of the rivers during the torrential floods. Forest damage and contamination from the storm will continue to pollute these areas.

Also in response to Center advocacy, the Service today proposed to designate 3,974 river miles of critical habitat across 17 states for four endangered freshwater mussels.

The rayed bean, sheepnose, snuffbox and spectaclecase mussels, named for the shape of their shells, were protected as endangered in 2012. They occur in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

“Freshwater mussels are phenomenal water filters, and every action we take to help these endangered natural wonders survive will bring long-term benefits for people’s wellbeing,” said Curry.

Background

Hellbenders were previously divided into two subspecies, Ozark and Eastern, but genetic analysis has revealed that there are likely five species. Their classification is currently being revised.

At 2 feet long and topping 4 pounds, hellbenders are the largest salamanders in North America. Their closest relatives are the giant salamanders of Japan and China.

They are considered living fossils because they have changed little over the last 160 million years.

The Endangered Species Act is a powerful tool to prevent extinction and help vulnerable species recover. It’s 99% effective at preventing species under its protection from going extinct.