6th grade class finds 18" Hellbender in undocumented location
6th grade science class finds a Hellbender Salamander, affectionately named Rutledge Underrock, in a previously undocumented location!
Working in cooperation with the non-game division of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Orianne Society, Rabun Gap 6th graders set out on a full day mission to discover if the elusive Hellbender Salamander still exists in the Betty's Creek Watershed. Although E-DNA evidence has suggested it still occupies the creek, none have been found since 2010. Today was the first time one has been discovered on a DNR Hellbender survey of Rabun Gap property.
The Hellbender Salamander is a species that is under extreme pressure, particularly on the Rabun Gap Campus where sedimentation and run off from the cattle herd, horse farms, construction, and agriculture put it at great risk. Mr. Bysura, the middle school science teacher states, "I've watched this stream change at an incredible rate in the last 8 years. Deep water holes that used to be seven feet deep are only a couple of feet at most now, filled in by sediment, destroying valuable habitat for the Hellbender." Students saw first hand how detrimental pollution can be when it enters the stream, destroying habitat as well as changing the chemical makeup of the water.
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The Hellbender Salamander is a species that is under extreme pressure, particularly on the Rabun Gap Campus where sedimentation and run off from the cattle herd, horse farms, construction, and agriculture put it at great risk. Mr. Bysura, the middle school science teacher states, "I've watched this stream change at an incredible rate in the last 8 years. Deep water holes that used to be seven feet deep are only a couple of feet at most now, filled in by sediment, destroying valuable habitat for the Hellbender." Students saw first hand how detrimental pollution can be when it enters the stream, destroying habitat as well as changing the chemical makeup of the water.
However, a spot of hope occurred after 6 hours of searching. An 18" individual was discovered near the Rabun Gap biological stations, a site where Hellbenders have never been seen before. The creatures are known to grow to nearly 29 inches. Once captured, they worked with Thomas Floyd of the DNR and Stephen Spear of the Orianne Society to tag, take DNA samples, test for parasites, and electronically implant the animal. The Hellbender they found was as old, if not older, than most of the children who discovered it. The DNR will be using the data and observations to establish experimental Hellbender nesting box sites in an attempt to bring the populations back to high levels within the watershed. "If we can get the Hellbender reproducing, we can increase it's numbers. That's the goal!" It was a remarkable day, and a day the group of 6th graders won't soon forget.
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School
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Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School is a private, coeducational day and boarding school for grades Pre-K through 12. Centrally located between Atlanta, GA, Greenville, SC, and Asheville, NC, we prepare young people for college, career, and a lifetime of leadership and service.
