50-yr-old rare salamander spotted in Northwest China

YINCHUAN -- A giant salamander measuring approximately 1.4 meters in length and aged around 50 years was spotted Monday in a national nature reserve in Liupan Mountain, a major ecological barrier in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

This is the first time that the species was seen in the nature reserve, according to the reserve administration.

The reserve staff spotted the salamander while cleaning the mountain's major waterway, Jinghe River, upon which the forest public security bureau and administration staff rushed to the site to rescue the animal.

According to the preliminary measurements, the giant salamander weighs 20 kg and its head measures about 23 cm in width.

"The species are picky about the water quality in their habitats. The discovery of the amphibian in the Jinghe River demonstrates the improving ecological environment in the Liupan Mountain region and its good water quality," said Wang Shuanggui, deputy director of the reserve administration.

The rare animal has been released into a fast-flowing, fish-rich stream in the upper reaches of the Jinghe River.

Chinese giant salamander, a national second-class protected species in China, was also listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.