Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 35

includes studying their habitat, the water
quality where they live, and the crayfish
population-the hellbender's primary diet.
According to Brandon Ruhe, President of the
Mid-Atlantic Center for Herpetology and
Conservation, and a Principal Investigator
for the Pennsylvania Amphibian and Reptile
Survey (PARS), which is a citizen science
driven collaborative effort with the PFBC
to atlas amphibian and reptile locations in
the Commonwealth, anglers have recently
submitted a number of riverine records
from areas where we thought the species was
extirpated (locally extinct). These habitats
remain unsampled, because they are harder to
survey due to depth and size.
Petokas' newest projects, have him shifting
to more proactive work. Those projects,
currently in New York state, include building
stream habitat, raising young hellbenders from
eggs, microchipping them, and releasing them
into the wild. He reports that many of the
young hellbenders are surviving and perhaps
even thriving. He hopes similar restoration
projects can be replicated in Pennsylvania.
Just as importantly, each of us can help
the fragile hellbender population. Don't
build stone sculptures that are often seen
in creeks and rivers. When we disturb the
streambed and the hellbender's environment,
it's detrimental to them. Hellbenders and their
prey rely on flat rocks as their home.
Secondly, if you accidentally hook one when fishing, remove the hook
and carefully return the hellbender quickly to the stream. If you can't remove
the hook easily, it is probably better to just cut the line as close to the hook as Dr. Peter Petokas with an Eastern Hellbender.
possible or break the hook. Fish and amphibians are
rather resilient, and the hook will dissolve over time.
The hellbender's fragile skin is key to its survival, and
it can quickly become damaged with excess handling.
If you ever see an Eastern Hellbender, consider
yourself a lucky person. " Leave it be, and don't share
its location. Instead, report your observations to the
PARS at paherpsurvey.org, " said Petokas.
These unique creatures are sentinels that can tell
us if we are doing things right in our waterways-that
we are good stewards for our environment. Let's all
do our part for conservation.
Eastern Hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis
January/February 2023
35
photo-Michelle R. Herman
photo-Linda Stager

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023

Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 5
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 6
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 7
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 12
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - Cover4
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