Thomas More University’s Biology Field Station, a university research and educational facility along the Ohio River in Campbell County, has received two major grants.
The first is a roughly $194,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for research advancement. The second is a $7,500 from the National Wildlife Federation and Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom to bankroll the station aquaculture facilities and aid in the its ability to raise and conserve eastern hellbenders, large salamanders native to North America. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service proposed adding the hellbender to the national list of endangered species in 2024.
“We’ve had adult hellbenders onsite since 2018, and they never fail to elicit positive reactions from young students to adults alike when they see this unique species up close,” said Field Station Director and Professor of Biological Sciences at Thomas More, Chris Lorentz. “As a complement to the research, these outreach programs are critical to raising awareness about the unique biodiversity in our backyard and the conservation efforts to preserve species and ecosystems.”
As part of the newly funded programs, the station will collect hellbender eggs from the wild, raise them in captivity for several years and then re-release them into the wild, increasing their chance of survival from 10% to 90%, according to the field station. The research will also fund collection and dissemination of best practices related to conserving hellbenders, which can then be shared with other organizations.
“We have a long track record of partnerships and collaborations that advance our mutual interests in conservation and preservation of aquatic species,” said Lorentz. “Working with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife and others, including the Louisville Zoo, the Newport Aquarium and Purdue University, will help meet the current needs to save this species from extinction.”
