The giant salamanders of the Far East are by far the biggest amphibians on the planet. The Japanese giant salamander, known locally as hanzaki, grows up to 1.5m long from warty nose to chunky, newt-like tail. It is a stream-dwelling predator: if a fish or crab wanders too close, the cavernous mouth snaps open, sucking in both water and prey.
Even bigger than the hanzaki is its closest living relative, the Chinese giant salamander. This gargantuan creature, which can grow to 1.8m long and weigh up to 30kg, is known as wawayu (‘baby fish’) in China due to the crying sound it makes when removed from water.
At least one-third of the world’s amphibian species are threatened and wawayu, the largest member of the class Amphibia, is a sobering example of their plight. Ongoing threats range from habitat destruction to pollution, climate change, over-harvesting and disease. The species is now Critically Endangered and faces a highly uncertain future.
Helen Meredith