Nature & Environment
200-Year-Old Giant Chinese Salamander Discovered Alive Outside Cave (VIDEO)
Catherine Griffin
First Posted: Dec 17, 2015 09:28 AM EST
Scientists have uncovered an ancient giant just outside a Chinese cave. They've found what appears to be a 200-year-old salamander that looks a bit like a monster from a horror movie.
Chinese giant salamanders can grow to be massive over time. In this case, the salamander was an impressive four and a half feet long, and weighed nearly 115 pounds.
The salamander was found after a fisherman stepped on the salamander. Shocked at how large the salamander was, he contacted local conservationists who then took the salamander to a nature preserve after determining that the animal was ill.
Wild giant salamanders usually just have lifespans of about half a century when raised in captivity. The oldest are usually around 80 years. So the fact that this particular salamander is estimated to be 200 years old should be taken with a grain of salt.
Giant salamanders are critically endangered due to habitat loss and overhunting. In fact, it's estimated that there are fewer than 50,000 Chinese giant salamanders remaining in the wild.
Want to see the salamander for yourself? Check out the video below, courtesy of YouTube.
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TagsAnimals, Animal Behavior, Endangered species, Endangered, Salamanders, China, Chinese Giant Salamander, Human ©2024 ScienceWorldReport.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The window to the world of science news.
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First Posted: Dec 17, 2015 09:28 AM EST
Scientists have uncovered an ancient giant just outside a Chinese cave. They've found what appears to be a 200-year-old salamander that looks a bit like a monster from a horror movie.
Chinese giant salamanders can grow to be massive over time. In this case, the salamander was an impressive four and a half feet long, and weighed nearly 115 pounds.
The salamander was found after a fisherman stepped on the salamander. Shocked at how large the salamander was, he contacted local conservationists who then took the salamander to a nature preserve after determining that the animal was ill.
Wild giant salamanders usually just have lifespans of about half a century when raised in captivity. The oldest are usually around 80 years. So the fact that this particular salamander is estimated to be 200 years old should be taken with a grain of salt.
Giant salamanders are critically endangered due to habitat loss and overhunting. In fact, it's estimated that there are fewer than 50,000 Chinese giant salamanders remaining in the wild.
Want to see the salamander for yourself? Check out the video below, courtesy of YouTube.
Related Articles
Dogs Give Their Friends Food: How Canines are Social
Wild Parrots Use Tools to Snack on Calcium-Filled Shells
For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone