Human Impact

Habitat Destruction: Human activities such as damming, mining, logging, and urbanization lead to significant habitat destruction. Rivers are altered, and hellbenders lose access to the clean, fast-flowing streams with rocky substrates they need for breeding and shelter (Nickerson et al., 2017; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2019).

Overcollection for the Pet Trade: Although less common now, hellbenders have historically been collected for the pet trade and for scientific research, which has contributed to their decline. They are also susceptible to being killed by people who mistake them for dangerous creatures (Briggler, n.d.; Gall, 2016).

Water Diversion: Human activities such as water diversion for agricultural or industrial use reduce the flow of rivers, affecting the oxygenation of the water and the overall habitat quality for hellbenders (Nickerson et al., 2017; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2019).