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Endangered hellbender salamander inspires song

Ozark hellbender
Jeff Briggler | Missouri Department of Conservation | File photo
Adult Ozark hellbenders can reach up to two feet in length.

You may remember our story about the St. Louis Zoo successfully breeding an endangered giant salamander. Now the hellbender is being honored in song:

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/national/local-national-1010055.mp3

The St. Louis band FIRE DOG is offering its hellbender song as a free download on Sunday in honor of Earth Day.

In the meantime, here are the lyrics:

Hellbender salamander amphibian Breathes in oxygen through its skin Protects its body with a layer of slime In North America, it's the largest kind - of salamander Hellbender he-hellbender Hellbender he-hellbender Cryptobronchus aligeniensis The only Cryptobronchus with two sub-species The Ozark and the Eastern variety Live under rocks in streams in the country Hellbender he-hellbender Hellbender he-hellbender It's true that since the 1980s, the hellbender population has been devastated. Due to rising temperatures, water pollution, and the mysterious chytrid fungus, the hellbender is now an endangered species. Hellbender salamander amphibian Hellbender salamander amphibian Hellbender salamander amphibian