The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has designated the Eastern Hellbender (cryptobranchus alleganiensis, also known as waterdog) as a species of concern. Development, road construction, and poor land-use practices lead to erosion and stream siltation, thereby eliminating egg development habitat. In many areas, only larger and older adults are found, suggesting that reproduction or survival at early stages is limited.
Management actions include:
- Population surveys via snorkeling
- Nest box habitat augmentation
- Environmental DNA surveys