Hellbenders are an intrinsic part of the ecosystem and are really cool creatures.
They are solitary animals that only gather during breeding season. Hellbenders live under rocks or logs and are nocturnal which led them to develop poor eyesight. Because of their poor eyesight their sense of smell is their main weapon when hunting for crayfish and other small fish, which they then consume by sucking the animal into their mouth vacuum style. They also have a lateral line similar to that of fish which helps them to track prey by sensing vibrations in the water. Hellbender’s bodies also have light sensors all over their skin to ensure that when hiding under rocks all of their body is hidden. Hellbenders are also covered in excellent camouflage as well as a thick layer of slime that tastes bad to predators and acts as a deterrent. The slime doubles as a way for hellbenders to protect themselves against pathogens in the water. In the wild hellbenders can grow to 29 inches long and can weigh up to 5 pounds. They have been known to live up to 25 years outside of captivity.
They are solitary animals that only gather during breeding season. Hellbenders live under rocks or logs and are nocturnal which led them to develop poor eyesight. Because of their poor eyesight their sense of smell is their main weapon when hunting for crayfish and other small fish, which they then consume by sucking the animal into their mouth vacuum style. They also have a lateral line similar to that of fish which helps them to track prey by sensing vibrations in the water. Hellbender’s bodies also have light sensors all over their skin to ensure that when hiding under rocks all of their body is hidden. Hellbenders are also covered in excellent camouflage as well as a thick layer of slime that tastes bad to predators and acts as a deterrent. The slime doubles as a way for hellbenders to protect themselves against pathogens in the water. In the wild hellbenders can grow to 29 inches long and can weigh up to 5 pounds. They have been known to live up to 25 years outside of captivity.
MARVIN: a very special HELLBENDER
Marvin the hellbender, approximately 45 years old, of Barnesville, Ohio, passed away on June 12, 2025, at the offices of Captina Conservancy. Marvin was born sometime before 1980 in Salt Creek, Chillicothe, Ohio, and was collected in 1985 by herpetologists Ralph and Joan Pfingsten. Ralph and Joanie cared for Marvin under a special permit in their home in the Cleveland area until 2021.
Through her 45-year life, one of the longest ever recorded for a salamander, Marvin served as an ambassador for her amazing species. She moved to Barnesville to highlight Captina Creek, home of a thriving population of hellbender salamanders. Marvin loved to snack on cray fish and minnows. Her hobbies included hanging out under rocks and laying on top of underwater bubblers.
Students from Barnesville Middle School, local scout groups, and Olney Friends School all loved to visit Marvin and watch her chomp down on a worm or other special treat. Marvin was also a social media star, with a TikTok account (@marvindoingnothing) that reached thousands of viewers.
Marvin was preceded in death by Ralph Pfingsten in 2021. Ralph was a prolific author, researcher, and educator whose work paved the way for hellbender protection across Ohio. Marvin is survived by Joan Pfingsten; her Captina Conservancy care team; and the Olney Friends students who lovingly checked in on Marvin daily.
Marvin’s stay at Captina Conservancy was made possible by support from Captina Conservancy members and volunteers, the Ohio Hellbender Partnership, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, EQT Foundation, and the Columbus Zoo. Special thanks to Barnesville Woodsfield Veterinary Services for their diligent care of Marvin in her final days.
Marvin will be buried at a special location along Captina Creek, a known nesting spot for eastern hellbenders, during a private ceremony for her close family and friends. If you would like to honor Marvin’s legacy, you can donate in her name to: Captina Conservancy, PO Box 318, Barnesville, Ohio 43713.
Rest in Peace, Marvin. You will always be remembered and loved.
Through her 45-year life, one of the longest ever recorded for a salamander, Marvin served as an ambassador for her amazing species. She moved to Barnesville to highlight Captina Creek, home of a thriving population of hellbender salamanders. Marvin loved to snack on cray fish and minnows. Her hobbies included hanging out under rocks and laying on top of underwater bubblers.
Students from Barnesville Middle School, local scout groups, and Olney Friends School all loved to visit Marvin and watch her chomp down on a worm or other special treat. Marvin was also a social media star, with a TikTok account (@marvindoingnothing) that reached thousands of viewers.
Marvin was preceded in death by Ralph Pfingsten in 2021. Ralph was a prolific author, researcher, and educator whose work paved the way for hellbender protection across Ohio. Marvin is survived by Joan Pfingsten; her Captina Conservancy care team; and the Olney Friends students who lovingly checked in on Marvin daily.
Marvin’s stay at Captina Conservancy was made possible by support from Captina Conservancy members and volunteers, the Ohio Hellbender Partnership, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, EQT Foundation, and the Columbus Zoo. Special thanks to Barnesville Woodsfield Veterinary Services for their diligent care of Marvin in her final days.
Marvin will be buried at a special location along Captina Creek, a known nesting spot for eastern hellbenders, during a private ceremony for her close family and friends. If you would like to honor Marvin’s legacy, you can donate in her name to: Captina Conservancy, PO Box 318, Barnesville, Ohio 43713.
Rest in Peace, Marvin. You will always be remembered and loved.
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follow Marvin on tik tok @marvindoingnothing
Marvin's Story
When the late noted naturalist and hellbender expert Ralph Pfingsten found Marvin under the first rock, he turned over in Salt Creek, while conducting his 1985-1988 statewide survey of hellbenders, he thought “well this is going to be easy”. Unfortunately for him, he would not find another hellbender for a year. His survey would also lead hellbenders to become classified as endangered in the state of Ohio. Ralph and his family would diligently care for Marvin for the next 36 years until Ralph’s death in March of 2021. That is when Captina Conservancy stepped in to give Marvin a new home! While Ralph was still living, he found through blood work that Marvin was not in fact a male but a female. By that time though Marvin’s name had stuck. Marvin was estimated to be 5 years old at the time of her capture making her older than 40!
Marvin was the oldest known hellbender on record and an irreplaceable part of our conservancy.
Marvin was the oldest known hellbender on record and an irreplaceable part of our conservancy.
MArvin's HOMe
As an Eastern Hellbender, Marvin is part of the largest salamander species in North America and can mostly be found from Northern New York to northern Georgia and as far west as Northern Missouri. Hellbenders have very specific habitat needs and only thrive in the cleanest of fast-moving water with high oxygen content. Hellbenders must have substrate composed of gravel and sand, there must also be an abundance of large flat rocks for the hellbenders to live and breed under. Due to human involvement in the natural world their numbers have greatly declined putting them on the IUCN Red List as near threatened. The biggest threat to their survival is degradation of water quality as well as general habitat loss. There are efforts to conserve hellbenders such as catch and release of hellbenders eggs so they can be re-introduced to the environment when they are older and more likely to survive. In addition, there are efforts to make the hellbenders plight more well known by not only conservationists but also by states, such as Pennsylvania which made the eastern hellbender their state amphibian. One way you can help care for these valuable parts of our ecosystem is by mitigating use of pesticides and other harmful waste that could enter the rivers through tributaries. Limiting disturbance of riverbeds as well as planting native species and trees on riverbanks to prevent buildup of sediment is also extremely beneficial to hellbenders.
Learn more about hellbenders in Ohio:
- Amphibians of Ohio Field Guide (ODNR)
- Helping hellbenders thrive in their habitat (Farm and Dairy)
- Amphibian & Reptile Conservation: Hellbender (The Ohio State University)
