North Carolina’s Hellbenders
North Carolina’s Hellbenders  
Podcast: The Atlas Obscura Podcast
Published On: Wed Feb 18 2026
Description: A giant salamander has been lurking in the rivers and streams of Appalachia for more than a hundred million years.  And in just the last few years – after surviving one of the worst hurricanes in decades – they've become a local symbol of pride.This episode was produced in partnership with Visit North Carolina. We always want to hear from you! If you have a question or story for us, give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message, or send an email to hello@atlasobscura.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.