Wild Chinese giant salamanders under increasing threat

The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) are descendants of a very ancient species that were around when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. They belong to the Cryptobranchidae family which is about 170 million years old and they remain very similar to their ancient relatives.

Range and habitat

The Chinese giant salamander is indigenous to China and was once widespread but its population has become more scattered as numbers have diminished in the wild. They inhabit rocky mountain brooks, streams and lakes showing a preference for fast running, clean water such as can be found in some of the tributaries of the Yangtze, Pearl and Yellow Rivers . They prefer forested regions around 100 to 1,500m above sea level.

Chinese Giant Salamander - H. Zell - CC BY-SA 3.0

Family dens

Several female salamanders lay their eggs in large crevices or hollows under the water. The eggs are then cared for by in these underwater dens by the males who take charge and care and protect the eggs until about one month after they have hatched into tiny tadpoles. From these tiny tadpoles Chinese giant salamanders when fully grown can measure up to 1.8 m in length and can weigh up to 50 kg. 

Critically endangered in the wild

Chinese giant salamanders can live up to 52 years of age if undisturbed, but today, few, if any achieve this. In the wild salamanders are listed by the International Union of Conservation for Nature in their Red List of Threatened Species as critically endangered.  Read more