Before a nervous, pre-teen Michael Kinney, of Beech Creek, could react to the strange-look - ing creature at the end of his fishing pole, he was distracted by everyone around him. “They started backing away, calling it a mudpuppy. These older guys with tattoos were yell - ing, telling me I should destroy it. That it was bad for the fish – bad for the water,” he recalled. “I got it on the ground, and I re - member it crawling around and getting back into the water. “We didn’t have internet Michael Kinney
This image was taken by Michael Kinney in a stream in our watershed.
Click here to learn about Michael’s Sept. 28 film presentation at the Cam - pus Theatre in Lewis - burg which will include hellbender footage.
Raising awareness You can help make a difference for this species by helping raise awareness. That can come in many different ways ... using your talents and abilities. We share stories on these pages of how others have done so, through photography, videography, teaching, art, music and more. It could be as simple as starting a conversation around the water cooler at your office about this species and directing people to our website for more information. Let us know how you are spreading the word. We’d love to inspire others by showing them how you’re creatively getting involved! Send an email to midsusriver@gmail.com
back then at our fingertips to look things up, but even with all the resources we have today, there are still a lot of wrong ideas out there,” he said. The experience has been one of the main inspirations for Kinney’s work behind the camera to better connection people with nature. “A while ago, I recorded a video of a local hellbender and uploaded it online. Feedback was like 50-50. Some people knew what they were. Others didn’t. Others thought they did,” said Kinney. “I would read the comments and with some I’d be inspired, and with others, I felt as traumatized as I did that day as a kid fishing. It is disappointing that there are still people today that don’t care to understand how valuable hell - benders are and still want to get rid of them.” Today, Kinney is the president of the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, striving to protect aquatic species such as the hellbender.
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