This project involves the removal of Eastern Hellbenders during the construction activities to replace an existing bridge in the Ozark region in southern Missouri.  This will protect the animals from impacts of construction activities.  Hellbenders will be housed at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery during bridge construction.  Upon completion of the bridge, and removal of the old bridge, habitat (large rocks) will be augmented into the river, and hellbenders will be release back into the river. A brief article, “D9 Helps Create a Habitat Where Hellbenders Can Feel at Home,” was presented in MoDOT’s statewide newsletter, Connections.

The Hellbender is a large salamander that needs fresh flowing uncontaminated water, a clean environment, and a little bit of understanding.  One of the largest salamanders in the world, it is peaceful, non-venomous, and eats crayfish and the occasional minnow.  In Missouri, there are two subspecies of Hellbenders:  the Eastern and Ozark.

Their population is declining because of habitat loss from silt caused by poorly managed land use and development.  Both subspecies of Hellbenders are endangered species in Missouri.

Additional information is provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation in their document “the Hellbender”.  The U.S. Department of Interior’s National Park Service also provides information at their website on the Ozark Hellbender and in the National Parks Conservation Association magazine article, “Fighting the Current:  Can North America’s biggest, oldest salamander survive changing times?”

Project Stages

The protect duration is projected to be from the Fall of 2008 through the Spring of 2010 and consist of five stages:

1. Preparation of holding facility:  The Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery (Missouri Department of Conservation – MDC) in Branson will house and care for the hellbenders for the duration of the project. 
   
   
2. Conducting surveys and removal of hellbenders:  Capture and removal of hellbenders will incorporate 7 sampling events for a minimum of 6 surveyors/trip. 
   
   
3. Transportation of hellbenders to holding facility:  Upon removal of hellbenders after each survey in 2008, MDC staff will transport the hellbenders using appropriate transportation protocols to the Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery.
   
   
4. Maintenance and care of hellbenders at holding facility:  All hellbenders removed during the survey trips will be maintained at the Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery and provided care by hatchery staff for the duration of this project.  It is estimated that housing and care for these hellbenders will be approximately 2 years.
   
   
5. Restore suitable hellbender habitat:  Once major construction work is completed, MDC will acquire and augment large flat rocks back into the stream.  MoDOT will provide a crane and operator to facilitate placement of some of the larger rocks.
   
   
6. Return the hellbenders to the stream:  Once the construction project is complete and the habitat augmentation has been completed, the animals will be returned to the stream from the hatchery.