Purdue leads efforts to restore hellbender populations in Indiana through habitat restoration, farmer partnerships, and captive rearing, releasing hundreds into the Blue River to improve water quality and biodiversity.

Purdue Hellbender News

Dr. Rod Williams and extension wildlife specialist Nick Burgmeier accept the NACD Friends of Conservation Award.

Help the Hellbender Research Program Honored with Friends of Conservation Award

The Help the Hellbender research program, based in Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources, was honored with the National Association of Conservation...

Hellbender in the wild

Restoring Indiana's Hellbenders

The eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) is a large, fully aquatic salamander whose nicknames include snot otter, water...

Seated - Left to Right: Virginia Morris (Harrison County SWCD Office Manager), Eliza Hudson (Regional Conservation Partnership Program Coordinator for the Farmers Helping Hellbenders Program), Cora Brown (Washington County SWCD Technician). Standing (top row) - Left to Right: Aaron Walker (Washington County SWCD Supervisor), Nevada Wagers (Washington County SWCD Office Manager), Rhonda Johnson (Washington County SWCD Supervisor), Ruth Hackman (Washington County NRCS District Conservationist)

Help the Hellbender Team Honored as Friends of Conservation

Dr. Rod Williams, extension wildlife specialist Nick Burgmeier and the Help the Hellbender team were honored for their collaboration with partners,...

Hellbender eggs, a gilled larvae and an adult hellbender

Researchers Discover Young Hellbender in Blue River

Biologists with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Purdue University recently documented a very young hellbender salamander, a...

An adult eastern hellbender

Help the Hellbender Lab Honored for Conservation Efforts

Dr. Rod Williams and the Help the Hellbender research team have earned three honors in 2023 for their work in conserving and advancing research and...

Eastern Hellbender salamander

Help the Hellbender Program Receives Hoosier Outdoor Writers Conservation Award

The Help the Hellbender team, led by Dr. Rod Williams, professor of wildlife science, has been honored by the Hoosier Outdoor Writers group with...

Hellbenders in the Headlines

Discover how hellbenders are making waves in the news.
  • Genetically derived effective population size estimates of herpetofaunal species should be used with caution, The Wildlife Society. Read Article
  • Eastern hellbender, a sentinel of of water quality, bred in captivity for first time, at Evansville zoo, Hearald Bulletin. Read Article - Must Subscribe
  • Underwater videos improve hellbender conservation, The Wildlife Society. Read Article
  • All hail the great hellbender salamander!, Goodness Exchange. Read Article
  • Public Asked to Report Hellbender and Mudpuppy Sightings, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Read Article
  • Hellbender Salamander, That Nature Conservancy. Read Article
  • Hellbenders found in a new Pennsylvania water, PENN Live Patriot News. Read Article - Must Subscribe