A fisherman stumbled upon a rare sight yesterday, when he discovered a giant salamander in small reservoir outside of Chongqing. Weighing in at 50 kg, the salamander was more than 1.4 meters long.
According to a tweet from People's Daily China, animal experts believe that this giant salamander is around 200 years old.
Following the discovery, the salamander was brought to a facility where it can be researched and monitored more closely, and more importantly, out of harm's reach.
The Chinese giant salamander, the largest amphibian in the world, is considered a critically endangered species and its consumption is prohibited. They are ancient creatures that date back to the age of dinosaurs.
In 2008, the species was list as one of 10 ‘focal species’ by the Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered project, according to the Chinese Giant Salamander Conservation.
But despite all these protections, they have been hunted and used as both a food source and for ingredients in Chinese medicine.
Depending on conditions and predators, the Chinese giant salamander can normally live up to 50 years in captivity and 30 years in the wild. But somehow this one survived being dined upon by corrupt officials and managed to stick it out for 200 years. That's pretty impressive, if you ask us.
[Images via People's Daily China]
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