Prague, Dec 20 (CTK) – The Zoological Garden in Prague probably has the longest live Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) in the world, measuring 158 centimetres, the zoo´s curator of reptiles Petr Velensky told CTK yesterday.
The zoo measured the salamander after a record 140 centimetre-long specimen was found in China.
The zoo had the salamander on loan from Karlsruhe, Germany, and it has now agreed with the museum on keeping the animal for ever in Prague.
“We can say almost for sure that Karlo is now the largest amphibian in the world,” Velensky said.
The salamanders furiously defend themselves when they fear that someone wants to catch them.
Karlo bit off a thumb of one of his breeders in Germany. That is why people in Prague are most careful when approaching it.
Karlo was measured when he was lying parallel to the front glass of the exposition. But it was difficult to weigh him.
Karlo moved to Prague 19 months ago. He weighed 26 kilograms and measured 155 centimetres. By now, he has grown by three centimetres and added nine kilograms.
The salamander found in China recently weighs 47 kilograms, however.
The historically largest documented salamander entered in the Guinness World Records that lived in China measured 180 centimetres and weighed 165 kilograms.
The Chinese salamander, the largest species of amphibians in the world, is listed as critically endangered.
ms/dr
