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The Eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis), North America’s largest aquatic salamander, can be found across 15 states, with historic concentrations in the cool, clean streams of the Appalachian Mountains. These amphibians are prone to habitat loss, pollution, disturbance, and the negative impacts of climate change climate change
Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Though there have been previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century humans have had an unprecedented impact on Earth's climate system and caused change on a global scale.
Learn more about climate change .
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with conservation partners, state and federal agencies, and Tribes to protect and ensure healthy habitats for threatened aquatic species like the hellbender.
This song is intended to raise awareness about hellbenders, crayfish, darters, freshwater mussels, and our other aquatic species and habitats of concern.
Lyrics
Fast flowing rapids
Where clean waters flow
The kind of cool places
That trout would go
There's a giant salamander
That lives below
But they're so chill
You wouldn't even know
They could use our help
If you know what I mean
They need habitat
In the rivers and streams
River bed rocks?
Leave them alone!
Keep them in place
That's someone's home
HELLBENDER!
Hanging all day
Underneath the rocks
Coming out at night
Taking little walks
Been doing their thing
For millions of years
Polluted waters
Are the big fear
They could use our help
If you know what I mean
They need habitat
In the rivers and streams
Did you know
They can live a long time?
If you catch one fishing
Please cut that line
HELLBENDER!
Well I'm not a fish
and I don't have a gizzard
But some people call me
Lasagna Lizard
I'm not a bird
or a pollinator
But I have been called
Allegheny Alligator
I have many names
to be on the level
Devil Dog, Ground Puppy,
Mud Cat and Mud Devil
But my favorite of all
For all you trend spotters
Is when they call me the
Snot otter...
HELLBENDER!
(Instrumental Break)
Fast flowing rapids
Where cool waters flow
The kind of cool places
That trout would go
There's a giant salamander
That lives below
But they're so chill
You wouldn't even know
HELLBENDER!
Credits
Written by Greg Thompson for the Fish & Wildlife Band and donated to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Greg Thompson-vocals, lyrics, guitar
Zachary Ladin-drums, recording, mixing & mastering
Mason Wheatley -bass
David Eisenhauer -guitar
Tom Davies -keyboards
Caleb Spiegel-Congas, tambourine
Drums & Bass recorded at Jopey Studios in Belchertown, MA on 4/21/24 by Joseph Fitzpatrick.
Featuring the Hellbender Choir Backup Singers:
Donna Walton
Sarah Nystrom
Sarah Furtak
Aimee Weldon
Hazel Ortiz
Jose Rijos & Cairo
Margaret Byrne
Chelsi Burns
Valerie Crane-Slocumb
Renee Farnsworth
Rick Bennett
Jack Byerly
Pam Toschik
Sharon Marino
Mark Maghini
Mitch Hartley
Patrick Roberts
Lowell Whitney
Holly Gaboriault
Gina Hatch
Evan Gregg
Steph Stroud
Bonnie McCracken-Bascomb
Barbara Dickinson
Todd “lasagna-sides” Annes
Lelaina Muth
Jackie Sadowski
Meagan Racey
Backup vocals recorded at lunchtime at the Northeast Regional Office in Hadley, MA on 5/29/24.
Hellbender photos and brook trout footage by Ryan Hagerty/USFWS
Hellbender watercolor by Kristin Simanek
Hellbender graphic by Erin Huggins/USFWS
"Hellbender Sal" artwork by Andre Bowser/USFWS
Video edited by Mason Wheatley/USFWS
Recreational Activities
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