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Hellbenders Breed Again

Stan Trauth, Arkansas State University
/
National Park Services

The Saint Louis Zoo is teeming with baby giant salamanders.

For the second year in a row, the zoo has successfully bred Ozark Hellbenders in captivity.

The Saint Louis Zoo first bred them successfully last year, using custom-made nest boxes in artificial streams.

Zoo herpetologist Jeff Ettling says this year, eight females laid more than 2,800 eggs. The paternity side is a little less clear.

"The males guard the nest, so we know the males that were the primary fertilizers of those eggs, but there's a possibility that there may be sneaker males too that come into the box and fertilize some eggs as well,” Ettling said.

More than 200 have hatched so far, with many more expected.

Ettling says the goal is to eventually release the Hellbenders in their native Ozark streams, to help restore wild populations.

"Their populations have dropped drastically,” Ettling said. “At one point we know that Missouri and Arkansas probably supported up to 8,000 Ozark Hellbenders. Today we believe that there's only 500-600 of those left."

The Ozark Hellbender was added to the federal endangered species list last year.

Adults can reach up to two feet in length.