Ok, well maybe super cool to me. The past 6 months or so myself and the zoo have been doing a project with these guys sampling for chytrid fungus and ranavirus. Most of the day finding these guys requires being face down in some pretty cold water for several hours flipping endless amounts or rocks, but when you find one it makes it all worthwhile. So if anyone ever gets the chance to go look for these, do it, Hellbenders are such amazing animals.

Sorry for the pic quality but they are not mine but more to come.




They have such amazing jaw pressure, hurts and can draw blood.