The Ozark hellbender: out from under a rock.(YEAR OF THE FROG)

What lurks below the clear waters of Ozark streams? Well, it's not pretty, but it is pretty cool. The Ozark hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi), which can reach a length of about 2 feet (0.6 meters), is one of the largest salamanders in the world.

These strictly aquatic salamanders are found only in Ozark streams of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. Most of their life is spent beneath rocks in fast-flowing streams. They come out from under their rocks at night to eat crayfish and in the fall to mate. It takes them 5 to 8 years to reach sexual maturity, and they live 25 to 30 years in the wild (55 years in captivity). Males and females may prey upon their own and others' eggs.

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With numerous threats to these amphibians and their habitat, Ozark hellbenders are declining in numbers throughout their range. Because of the hellbender's long lifespan, it took some time before researchers recognized the rapidity of the decline. Even in areas that until recently were thought to have healthy, stable populations, numbers have plummeted. Particularly disconcerting is the fact that most populations have only older individuals. The lack of juveniles indicates that there has been little to no reproduction for several years.

What happened? The Ozark area is famous for its beauty and fast, clear rivers, which are fun to canoe, kayak, and fish. But that clear water and pretty scenery can be deceiving. The story of the Ozark hellbender's decline is an all too familiar one--increased siltation, water quality degradation, and increased impoundments.

To add insult to injury, the highly infectious chytrid fungus is proving fatal to an ever-increasing number of amphibians throughout the world. Over 75 percent of hellbender deaths that occurred in the St. Louis Zoo's captive population from March 2006 through April 2007 were due to this disease. This prompted the testing of Missouri's wild Ozark hellbenders.