| Endangered Species: Hellbender |
A Christiansburg Elementary Project
Submitted by Jason
Christiansburg Elementary School, Christiansburg, U.S.A.
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Photography courtesy of Virginia's Endangered Species |
Why Study This Topic?
I decided to do this topic, because I like to learn
about new animals. In my report, you will learn how a hellbender eats,
its habitat, its predators, and its species. My report will be given to
my teacher. Then I will get a grade, which will affect my language arts
and science grade this six weeks. My report is for our Endangered Species
project. All the reports done by students in my class will appear on our
Endangered Species pages.
What Was Already Known
I'd never heard of a hellbender, so I decided to research
it.
Search for Information
The first place I searched for information on the
hellbender was a book called Virginia's Endangered Species. This
book gave me enough information to cover a few topics, but I still needed
more information. Next, I searched the World Wide Web on Alta Vista. I
found two web pages, but they only listed the name hellbender. Last, I
searched Compton's Media Encyclopedia, which showed only pictures of it.
Due to lack of information, I am not able to cover all
needed topics.
Description
Habitat Requirements
The hellbender is distributed throughout the United
States. Species are found in Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Hellbenders live in small and large streams. They usually
live in rivers, because they require a large range of space. Hellbenders
like fairly cool and clear water. Minimum widths of streams for hellbenders
are 5 to 100 meters. They like to have flat rocks available. Some hellbenders
have been known to use rocks as shelters.
Hellbenders have many habitat needs. One main need is
water. Hellbenders need well oxygenated water. They can not stand pollution.
Another need is food. Hellbenders need water that has the proper amount
of food. They also need shelter from predators, such as rocks.
Adaptations
Hellbenders have adapted over many years. For example,
hellbenders have special coloration to camouflage themselves from predators.
They also have strong and flat tails to escape quickly from fast and ferocious
predators. Hellbenders have also adapted to being totally aquatic salamanders.
Adult hellbenders look after their young until they
are old enough to go out on their own. They lay their eggs in a safe place
out of the rapids. When the baby hellbenders hatch, they cling to their
parents for safety. Once they develop enough, they swim beside their mother.
The father leaves after the female lays her eggs.
Reasons for Endangerment
Helbenders are endangered mainly because of pollution.
Since so much pollution is dumped and pumped into streams, many hellbenders
are dying. Most of the waste that is dumped into rivers is acidic. The
acids in the waste are not only harmful to hellbenders, but also to fish,
salamanders, and other aquatic animals.
Restoration Actions
There are few groups that help just hellbenders. But
there are groups that help clean up rivers to help river animals. Some
fish restoration groups that help fish also help other aquatic animals,
such as the hellbender.
What Was Learned
When I did this report, I learned not only about the
hellbender, but also about research skills. I learned how to look up web
pages better and faster. I also learned much information about the hellbender,
such as how it lives in the rivers, how much space it needs, and how it
nurtures its young.
Conclusions From Research
Now that I have learned about the hellbender, I will
be even more aware of our environmental needs. This report has also taught
me more skills about doing reports, research skills, information about
the hellbender, and about what damage pollution does to our earth.
Bibliography
Terwilliger, Karen.1991. "Virginia's Endangered
Species" Pages: 443-444
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to Amphibian page.
If you would like to add to these Endangered Species
pages then email your contributions to Christiansburg
Elementary
© copyright 1997
Christiansburg Elementary |
Last updated on March 12, 1997
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