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Anton Sorokin (USA) braves the cold water to witness the moment two hellbenders fight over a den.

Anton had been snorkelling in this stream in North Carolina for days before he spotted the hellbenders.

After an intruding hellbender made a grab for a resident’s den, Anton witnessed a back-and-forth wrestling match. The fight ended only when the resident latched onto the challenger’s writhing body and didn’t let go for two hours.

These large salamanders reach up to 75 centimetres (2.5 feet) in length. They mainly keep to their dens under riverbed rocks, and they spend long periods alone. During the breeding season males challenge each other for control of the dens in which the females lay their eggs.

Hellbenders reply on clean water and undisturbed streams to survive. Such habitats are becoming increasingly scarce.

How you can help

• Keep rivers clean. Hellbenders are very sensitive to their environment and breathe through their skin, which makes them vulnerable to water pollution. To help aquatic life in your area, look out for local cleanups and avoid using chemical fertilisers in your garden, as these can end up polluting rivers and streams.
• Keep streambeds as you find them. Hellbenders need large slab rocks with crevices underneath where they can protect their eggs, so try to avoid moving or disrupting these natural features.
• Report illegal activity. Hellbenders are endangered and it is illegal to kill or catch them, or sell them as pets. Many people think hellbenders are poisonous, but this is not true. If they are accidentally caught when fishing, they should be released.