The Chinese giant salamander,
growing up to six feet in length, is the largest amphibian in the world. Though
admittedly not the most attractive animal, it more than makes up for its looks
with its enigmatic nature: this shy creature lives a nocturnal life in
underwater caves and crevices. However, the elusive amphibian is now causing
researchers plenty of concerns, as individuals in their natural habitat are
becoming ever harder to find.
Before the 1980s, the Chinese
giant salamander, Andrias davidianus,
was abundant along the Yangtze, Yellow and Pearl rivers, but now is restricted
to only a few areas where mountain streams remain undisturbed in protected
nature reserves. The species is now listed as critically endangered on the IUCN
red list, with numbers having fallen by 80% in the last 50 years.
For the past few decades the
salamander has been hunted voraciously for the luxury food trade in China,
where it is considered a delicacy. A kilogram of meat can fetch 100 US dollars
on the market and is also in demand for traditional Chinese medicines. The
situation has been made worse by increasing habitat fragmentation by dam
production, deforestation and water pollution from mining industries.
To stall the Chinese giant
salamander’s decline, conservation efforts are growing to save this unusual
amphibian species from extinction. Projects include captive breeding programmes
to release more individuals into the wild, and increasing the size and number
of nature reserves where its habitat is still found. Hopefully these efforts
can save it from the brink before it is too late.
Find out more:
You can find more facts and great
images and videos of these wonderful animals at Arkive
What can you do to help?
Here in the UK, the Chinese giant
salamander’s baby cousin, the great crested newt, is also suffering. The
greatest cause of population decline is urban development, but fortunately
reserves such as the Hampton Nature Reserve in Peterborough are working to save
this species. You can help the cause by volunteering with Froglife at the
nature reserve or on other projects - just follow this link to find out more: http://www.froglife.org/hnr/volunteer.htm
References:
Wang, X., Zhang, K., Wang, Z.,
Ding, Y., Wu, W. and Huang, S. (2004). The decline of the Chinese giant
salamander Andrias davidianus and its
implications for its conservation. Oryx, vol. 38, pp.197-202.