The Great Salamander Pandemic, Part 6: Hellbenders and super spreaders

Mongabay Explores

Hellbenders are North America’s largest salamanders, living in rivers and growing to an incredible length of over two feet. Eastern newts are tiny and terrestrial, but both are susceptible to a fungal pathogen called Bsal. While Bsal has yet to make an appearance in the global hotspot of salamander diversity that is North America, it has wreaked havoc on populations in Europe, so biologists worry its impact could be even worse if it does.

Eastern newts' susceptibility to Bsal coupled with their notable mobility mean they could act as “super-spreaders” of Bsal if the fungus ever gets to North America. For hellbenders, which are already listed as endangered and suffer from habitat degradation, a new pathogen is hardly good news.

On this final episode of the first season we speak with Dr. Becky Hardman from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, and Dr. Anna Longo of the University of Florida about these fascinating and unique species, and discuss what is being done to prepare for a Bsal invasion that experts say is inevitable.

More on this topic:

• Super-spreaders: How the curious life of a newt could ignite a pandemic
• Hellbenders threatened by disease & stress
• Mongabay's article series on Bsal is here
• United States Bsal Task Force website

To hear Part 1 of this season, see, "Mongabay Explores the Great Salamander Pandemic, Part 1: Are we ready?" -- Part 2 discussed the amazing diversity of salamanders, "Why are salamanders so diverse in North America?" Parts 3, 4, & 5 are also helpful in understanding the conservation community's response to the threat (and some opportunities) presented by Bsal.

Based on a multi-year article series that Mongabay.com published about Bsal, episodes of this podcast season delve further to learn what's known about this issue, now.

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