CHINESE GIANT SALAMANDER

The Chinese Giant Salamander

The Chinese giant salamander is the world's largest amphibian — a prehistoric creature that has survived for millions of years, barely changed, in the cold mountain streams of China. These massive amphibians can grow up to 1.8 meters long, breathe through their skin, and have remained virtually unchanged since the age of dinosaurs.

But the Chinese giant salamander is being eaten into oblivion. In China, these salamanders are considered a delicacy and a traditional medicinal ingredient — commanding prices of hundreds of dollars per kilogram. A massive captive breeding industry has developed to meet demand, but wild populations have been devastated by poaching and habitat loss.

The wild population is unclear — estimates range from extremely low numbers in the wild to several hundred thousand in farms. The IUCN lists the wild population as Critically Endangered and declining. What we do know is that virtually all 'wild-caught' salamanders in markets actually come from farms — but that hasn't stopped the demand from driving the near-total destruction of wild populations.