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Their nicknames are unpleasant -- from "old lasagna sides" to "devil dog" to "snot otter" But the eastern hellbender is adored by many for their flat heads, wrinkled bodies and paddle-shaped tails.
"You look at them and you can tell you're looking at something prehistoric. They're not like anything else. They're fascinating. They're so grotesque they're beautiful," said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity.
North America's largest salamander lives in streams and rivers across 15 states from the Appalachian Mountains to the Ozarks.
The eastern hellbender, which was named Pennsylvania's state amphibian in 2019, are found in the Allegheny watershed, as well as the Susquehanna River and its adjoining streams.
Though the species has existed for millions of years, and each individual can live for more than 30 years, the salamanders are threatened by poor water quality and their populations have drastically declined.
In an effort to protect the eastern hellbender and their habitats, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed to list the species under the federal Endangered Species Act.
"It would be a real shame if we were to lose them forever," said Jeromy Applegate, a biologist with the service. "They're really excellent indicators of water quality, and we find that the healthiest populations of eastern hellbenders are always in rivers with clean, cool water. Our proposed listing is the first step to help conserve the species for future generations."
In 2010, the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the species under the Endangered Species Act. However, the petition was denied, with exceptions for populations in Missouri. The center challenged the decision and a court ordered the service to conduct further surveys.
In the six years since, eastern hellbender populations have declined by 59%, according to the service, and close to half are presumed locally extinct.
The salamanders, which breathe through their skin, require clean, cold water to breathe in. The species is particularly threatened by sedimentation, which is when soil particles from farms, construction sites and logging operations reach streams and rivers.