Posted on Apr 15, 2023
20-plus-year effort to boost hellbender populations in Missouri hits major milestone
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Posted 1 y ago
Responses: 3
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."In 2001, the zoo began breeding and raising Ozark and eastern hellbenders in captivity for the Department of Conservation to release into the wild. Since then, more than 10,000 of the reptiles have been released into native rivers.
Justin Elden, director of the zoo’s hellbender conservation center, said he was “ecstatic” when he got the call from Briggler.
“This is the culmination of years and years of hard work and dedication trying to save this species,” he said. “We haven’t quite yet saved the species, but the chances of these animals going extinct within our lifetimes are drastically decreased.”
..."In 2001, the zoo began breeding and raising Ozark and eastern hellbenders in captivity for the Department of Conservation to release into the wild. Since then, more than 10,000 of the reptiles have been released into native rivers.
Justin Elden, director of the zoo’s hellbender conservation center, said he was “ecstatic” when he got the call from Briggler.
“This is the culmination of years and years of hard work and dedication trying to save this species,” he said. “We haven’t quite yet saved the species, but the chances of these animals going extinct within our lifetimes are drastically decreased.”
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Great share Brother. My son, daughters and I have gone to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in search of salamanders when they were young for science projects. GSMNP is the "Salamander Capital of the World" they say. More varieties are found there than anywhere else as far as they know.
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