The Chinese giant salamander is the largest amphibian species in the world, growing up to 1.8 metres, and can live for over 50 years. This species is classified as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List because of a massive population decline of more than 80% since the 1960s. This decline is caused by a combination of over-exploitation for human consumption and the traditional medicine market, and habitat destruction and degradation from dam construction, stream pollution and siltation after deforestation of the surrounding area. Remaining wild populations are also severely fragmented.

EDGE aims to increase awareness of the endangered status of the Chinese giant salamander by helping to implement an environmental awareness programme informing people about the species and advising on the sustainable management of wild populations. Alongside raising awareness, we will fund an EDGE Fellow to collect more data on the population ecology, behaviour and threats to this species in the Qinling Mountains of central China.

EDGE plans to contribute to the improvement of reserve management in this area to reduce poaching of wild individuals, and help set up a captive breeding programme for conservation purposes in China (where all current captive breeding is for food and medicine). Finally, it is important that a long-term monitoring programme is established for the species, which includes many locations across the fragmented range of the Chinese giant salamander, starting with the main project focus region of the Quinling Mountains.

Take action

£10 Could buy plants to restore native vegetation in vital breeding habitat.

£200 Could help fund major habitat restoration projects involving local communities.

£1000 Could cover in-country training and field costs for a local aspiring conservationist to conserve an EDGE Species.