Hellbender

salamander · aquatic · giant · unusual

Massive and wrinkly. The hellbender is the largest salamander in North America, and it looks pretty unusual with loose, saggy skin and a flat, wide body that can grow quite long.

Breathes through skin. Instead of just using lungs like most animals, hellbenders breathe oxygen right through their bumpy side skin via tiny blood vessels, which is a pretty wild adaptation for life underwater.

Ancient river dweller. Hellbenders have been living in eastern and central United States streams for around 65 million years, which means they were already here when dinosaurs walked the Earth.

In big trouble. Nearly 80% of hellbender populations are declining or disappearing because forests along streams are being cut down, and they really need those forests to keep their homes healthy and clean.

Mostly growing old. In many places where hellbenders still live, you mostly find older individuals, which means not enough young hellbenders are being born to replace them.