Giant salamanders live in mountain streams. They usually hide behind rocks in the water during the day and swim out at night.

They are mysterious creatures known for their dog-like barking sound, hence the species was called "dog fish" in ancient China. They are the largest existing amphibians and are considered "living fossils" as they lived in the same era as dinosaurs.

Luo Xiaohong, deputy director of the county's agriculture and rural affairs bureau, said that giant salamanders prefer unique living environments, mainly distributed in clear, fast-flowing mountain streams.

She said that the interconnected streams and rocky crevices of Jing'an have been their natural habitat for ages.

In 1974, the county established China's first giant salamander research institute. Six years later, a giant salamander reserve was set up. In 1988, the giant salamander was listed as a national second-class protected wild animal.

The local government has implemented numerous measures to protect this ancient and mysterious species.

For giant salamanders to survive and thrive, the water quality in their environment needs to be good. To ensure this in the Jing'an giant salamander reserve, 15 small hydropower stations in the area have been dismantled.

Luo said that local authorities have strictly enforced a ban on catching wild giant salamanders by combining river and lake chief systems with police oversight.

In addition, the county has been releasing young giant salamanders into the wild for 20 years to supplement the wild population.

"Infant giant salamanders are very small and fragile, and are easily attacked by river shrimp. We rescue them and raise them in breeding farms. Once they grow to over 200 centimeters, we release them back into nature," Peng said.

Luo added that, from 2005 to last year, "we have released a total of 20,000 giant salamanders, covering the three main water systems of our reserve".

zhaoruinan@chinadaily.com.cn