Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for January–March 2026
Encouraging eDNA Results for Eastern Hellbender from the Cane River of the Nolichucky River Drainage by Lori Williams, Western Region Amphibian Biologist
T he Cane River (Yancey County; Nolichucky River drainage) was one of the most damaged waterways in western North Carolina from the historic flood of Hurricane Helene in September 2024. As previously reported, one species that had hundreds of mortalities in this drainage is the Eastern Hellbender ( Cryptobranchus a. alleganiensi s), state special concern, federally proposed endangered. In the last quarter of 2025, staff collected water samples for environmental DNA (eDNA), testing to see if hellbenders were still present up and down the Cane River. Nine river reaches were sampled, from the mouth at the confluence with the Toe River, all the way upstream to the Murchison community. Staff received the lab results for those eDNA tests in the first quarter of 2026. The outcome was much better than anticipated with 7 out of 9 reaches having a positive detection for hell- bender, even in the lower sections of the Cane River, below US-19E, where the most damage from Helene occurred. These surprising results give us hope that some hellbenders did survive the flood and may help recolonize the sections of the river where mortalities were so high — if current habitat conditions allow. While these positive eDNA samples are a great sign, we still do not know how many hellbenders are left, much less if they are able to breed successfully; even just one animal in the reach could result in a positive eDNA sample. In the upcoming survey season, we will rely on these eDNA results to focus our efforts on specific reaches, as we try to determine the current population status.
LORI WILLIAMS/NCWRC
The lower Cane River in the Nolichucky River drainage showing severe bank scour, one year after Hurricane Helene flooding.
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A healthy, adult hellbender in high-quality habitat in the Cane River back in 2011.
THOMAS RUSS/NCWRC
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