SpeciesFacts

All species › Amphibians › Hellbender

Hellbender

Cryptobranchus alleganiensis

Amphibian · family Cryptobranchidae · order Caudata

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G3: vulnerable[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Hellbender
Photo: Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G3 Vulnerable[2]
Native in
15 states[3]
Longest recorded life
29 years[4]

The hellbender is a large salamander, an amphibian in the family Cryptobranchidae[5]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[1], and NatureServe lists it as native in 15 US states, from New York south to Georgia and west to Missouri and Arkansas[3].

Conservation status

NatureServe ranks the hellbender as Vulnerable worldwide (G3)[2] and in the United States (N3)[6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is also Vulnerable[7]. Vulnerable means the species faces some risk of disappearing. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G3 (Vulnerable)
NatureServe US rank[6] N3 (Vulnerable)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Vulnerable
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[8] 10,000 to 100,000 individuals

Where Hellbender lives

NatureServe lists the hellbender as native in 15 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia[3]. It is ranked as gone or possibly gone from Illinois[9].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SHILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: native, state rank S1NYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: native, state rank S1INOhio: native, state rank S1OHPennsylvania: native, state rank S2PANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: native, state rank S1MOKentucky: native, state rank SNRKYWest Virginia: native, state rank S2WVVirginia: native, state rank S2VAMaryland: native, state rank S1MDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: native, state rank S1ARTennessee: native, state rank S3TNNorth Carolina: native, state rank S3NCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: native, state rank S1MSAlabama: native, state rank S1ALGeorgia: native, state rank S3GAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[10].
Show state ranks (16 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS1Critically Imperiled
ArkansasS1Critically Imperiled
GeorgiaS3Vulnerable
IllinoisSHPossibly Extirpated
IndianaS1Critically Imperiled
KentuckySNRNot Ranked
MarylandS1Critically Imperiled
MississippiS1Critically Imperiled
MissouriS1Critically Imperiled
New YorkS1Critically Imperiled
North CarolinaS3Vulnerable
OhioS1Critically Imperiled
PennsylvaniaS2Imperiled
TennesseeS3Vulnerable
VirginiaS2Imperiled
West VirginiaS2Imperiled

Habitat

Hellbenders live in creeks and medium rivers, in both fast stretches called riffles and calmer pools[11]. They need clear, rocky water, usually with big rocks to hide under, and they tend to stay out of warm water[12]. Because they depend on steady oxygen, temperature and current in fast flowing water, they can only use a narrow set of streams[12]. Males get a spot ready under a big flat rock or a sunken log and guard the eggs there[12].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[11]

Size, diet and lifespan

Hellbenders eat small animals without backbones, such as crayfish[13]. Crayfish are their main food, and they also eat fish, often ones already dead, and other water insects and creatures[14]. A typical hellbender is about 51 cm (20 in) long[15]. The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 29 years[4]. A typical clutch holds about 275 eggs[16]. The eggs take about 72 days to hatch[17]. Females can first breed at about 1,825 days old[18].

Trait Value
Typical length[15] 51 cm (20 in)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 29 years (wild)
Litter or clutch size[16] 275
Gestation or incubation[17] 72 days
Female maturity[18] 1,825 days (about 5.0 years)
Food habits[13] Invertivore
Migration[19] non-migrant

When to look for it

Hellbenders are nocturnal, which means they are active at night[20]. They do not migrate[19]. On GBIF, most US records come from July, August and September, and very few come from February or December[21]. These records show when people look for and report hellbenders, not how many there are[21].

January: 25 recordsJanFebruary: 8 recordsFebMarch: 50 recordsMarApril: 99 recordsAprMay: 138 recordsMayJune: 161 recordsJunJuly: 231 recordsJulAugust: 173 recordsAugSeptember: 233 recordsSepOctober: 171 recordsOctNovember: 29 recordsNovDecember: 6 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[21].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January25
February8
March50
April99
May138
June161
July231
August173
September233
October171
November29
December6

Where to see it

This species is protected or at risk, so we show its range only at the state level. We do not publish parks, nesting, spawning or wintering sites.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Pennsylvania, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky[22]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the hellbender endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it as Vulnerable worldwide and in the United States[2][6].
Where do hellbenders live?
NatureServe lists them as native in 15 states, including Pennsylvania, Tennessee, North Carolina and Missouri[3]. They live in clear, rocky creeks and rivers[11][12].
What do hellbenders eat?
Crayfish are their most important food, and they also eat fish and other small water animals[14].
How big do hellbenders get?
A typical hellbender is about 51 cm (20 in) long[15].
How long do hellbenders live?
The oldest known hellbender in the wild lived 29 years[4].

Facts and sources

  1. Hellbender is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Hellbender: G3 (Vulnerable). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Hellbender as native in 15 US states and territories: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 29 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) is a amphibian in the family Cryptobranchidae, order Caudata. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N3 (Vulnerable). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Vulnerable. NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): 10,000 to 100,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe ranks Hellbender as extirpated or possibly extirpated (SX or SH) in: Illinois. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe state ranks for Hellbender (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  11. Habitat types NatureServe records for Hellbender: Medium river, Creek, Moderate gradient, Low gradient, Riffle, Pool. NatureServe Explorer
  12. NatureServe notes on habitat for Hellbender. NatureServe Explorer
  13. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  14. NatureServe notes on food for Hellbender. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 51 cm (20 in). NatureServe Explorer
  16. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 275. AnAge
  17. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 72 days. AnAge
  18. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 1,825 days (about 5.0 years). AnAge
  19. NatureServe migration category for Hellbender: non-migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  20. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Nocturnal. NatureServe Explorer
  21. GBIF observation records of Hellbender in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  22. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Hellbender: Pennsylvania, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.