RTPI’s Conservation Technician, Elyse Henshaw, paid a visit to Houghton College http://www.houghton.edu/ this week to deliver a presentation on the Eastern Hellbender, North America’s largest salamander species. Hellbenders are declining at an alarming rate due in large part to deteriorating habitat quality, but RTPI is working with partners to raise awareness of the plight of these iconic amphibians, and to take measures to conserve remaining populations.
Houghton students and faculty also had the opportunity to meet RTPI’s resident hellbenders, Oneka and Tweeg, who came to RTPI from the Buffalo Zoo to serve as ambassadors for their species. Stop in to RTPI soon to meet these amazing creatures for yourself, and learn about their significance as indicators of clean water!
RTPI’s resident Eastern Hellbender, Tweeg. Photographed by Twan Leenders as part of the ‘Meet Your Neighbours’ global biodiversity initiative.
