“I got involved because I went to a film festival and met a bunch of really wonderful #conservation-minded filmmakers. One of [them] happened to be a former #hellbender biologist,” said Roth. “That’s how we found out about Grant Township.” via @TheSJNews https://t.co/M6pfJA6DMq
.@AlleghenyFront interviews filmmakers about their new film “Hellbent” & shares what the elusive hellbender population can tell us about environmental impacts they are facing: https://t.co/PVNLe5NRBi @WCFF_org@wesa @KaraHolsopple @AnnieRothNews @hellbenderfilm@journeyinjustin
@KaunertMatthew 100's of artificial nest boxes are paying off big time. Lots of nests and eggs, guarded mostly by small males. Some weird eggs too (twins)
Check out the bites on the tail; they fight each other big time!
This NEVER gets old!
@BobcatsDiscover @PARCorg
#Hellbenders have semi-permeable skin, meaning they are particularly susceptible to poor water. Road run-off, oil spills and #fracking waste are dangerous for aquatic ecosystems, both for these animals and for communities who depend on them for water https://t.co/1K2qotyE5v
Here is a short video we filmed about the work Defenders of Wildlife is doing to help hellbenders in the wild!
Hellbenders are the largest amphibian in the Western Hemisphere and are in trouble across their native range.
https://t.co/hqvQZZ4PwZ
We also use underwater cameras to evaluate paternal care behaviors. Male "Den-Masters" spend 8 months tail-fanning, agitating, and cannibalizing developing eggs/larvae. This novel data will provide information regarding the effects of water quality and behaviors on nest success.
Den Master Devil Dogs are Doting Dads: We are currently using concrete nest boxes to evaluate Eastern Hellbender reproductive ecology. These ancient Appalachian giant salamanders are declining range-wide due to chronically suppressed recruitment. #OUVirtualExpo@BobcatsDiscover
We monitor nest fates by evaluating egg and larval survival. This reproductive data will bridge vast information gaps that currently exist in our understanding of early life history stages and possibly identify mechanisms of suppressed recruitment. @vioreldpopescu#snototter