200 Year Old Giant Salamander Found In China

A fisherman looking for a spot to conduct his business in a cave in South West China inadvertently stepped on something “soft and slimy”. It turns out what he stepped on was actually very rare. What Wang Yong had accidentally discovered was a giant Chinese salamander that scientists are estimating to be 200 years old. The giant salamander is often described as being a “living fossil”. The one that was discovered measures four and a half feet long and weighs a whopping 104 pounds.

Living fossil

The salamander that was found belongs to a species that can trace its origin back 170 million years which is the reason it is often described as a “living fossil”. If the age estimate is accurate it would mean this particular salamander would have been born in 1815 which is six years after the birth of Abraham Lincoln. We still don’t know exactly how this critter’s age was determined. In general salamanders typically live for about 80 years.

Species critically endangered

Chinese giant salamanders are critically endangered and protected. In the past they used to be quite common but since the 1950’s their numbers have fallen by as much as 80 per cent and they have become increasingly difficult to find. The main reasons behind the decline in population is habitat loss and over hunting.  Chinese consider the giant salamander to be a delicacy and they are also used in traditional Chinese medicine. Fortunately for this fella, the man who found it decided against eating it and contacted scientists instead who took it to a nature preserve.