I missed the memo for the name change of Hellbenders to Snot Otters, but it sure did get my attention in a recent headline. It is known in the field herping world that healthy amphibian life in a waterway is a sure sign of a healthy environment, and that's the cause the Snot Otters are championing.

From the Wall Street Journal:

For decades, wildlife conservation groups and environmental advocates have embraced certain animals as "save-the-planet" symbols: whales, pandas and polar bears, for example.

So it made sense when the organizers of a North Carolina festival suggested that the state zoo here adopt a mascot to promote clean rivers.

Except that the creature in question is the snot otter.

[....]

"A lot of people think they're ugly or grotesque," says John D. Groves, the North Carolina Zoo's curator of amphibians and a longtime hellbender enthusiast. "I myself find them very interesting animals."

As for the slime, he adds, "They do have toxic skin secretions, but as long as you don't eat them, you're fine."

While I am not a fan of the name change, the article goes on to give some information on the native Hellbender status as well as some great antidotes about the Debute of Snotty, the Snot Otter. To read the full article in the Wall Street Journal (not the Onion), click here.