{"id":39686,"date":"2024-06-25T09:39:13","date_gmt":"2024-06-25T07:39:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/b0d88717-fe4c-4edb-9b49-8fcbca80733a"},"modified":"2024-06-25T10:27:35","modified_gmt":"2024-06-25T08:27:35","slug":"scuba-diving-scientists-capture-rare-underwater-footage-of-prehistoric-looking-hellbenders-in-north-carolina","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/scuba-diving-scientists-capture-rare-underwater-footage-of-prehistoric-looking-hellbenders-in-north-carolina\/","title":{"rendered":"Scuba-diving scientists capture rare underwater footage of prehistoric-looking hellbenders in North Carolina"},"content":{"rendered":"

The giant hellbender salamanders \u2013 also known as \u2018snot otters\u2019, ‘devil dogs\u2019 and \u2018old lasagna sides\u2019 are being moved ahead of a dam removal project on the Watauga River. <\/p>

By Graeme Green\n <\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 25 June 2024 at 07:39 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Scuba-diving scientists are on a mission to save the eastern hellbender in the US state of North Carolina. <\/strong><\/p>

Work is set to begin to remove Shull\u2019s Mill Dam on the Watauga River in July in order to restore a healthy river ecosystem. <\/p>

The project will involve the challenging relocation of eastern hellbenders who live in the river near Shull\u2019s Mill Dam to a newly restored habitat downstream before deconstruction begins, with scientists donning scuba gear to dive and collect the hellbenders one by one.<\/p>