Chinese Giant Salamander Ecological Garden

Chinese Giant Salamander Ecological Garden

Chinese Giant Salamander Ecological Garden

The Chinese Giant Salamander Ecological Garden is located on the southern bank of Nanliao River in Shankou Village, Gaohu Town, Jing’an County, 23 kilometers from the county seat. It is a science-themed tourism destination that integrates functions such as the breeding, scientific research, utilization, and exhibition of the Chinese giant salamander. Jing’an is China’s only “Hometown of the Chinese Giant Salamander” and one of the main habitats of this species. The Chinese giant salamander, scientifically known as Andrias davidianus, is locally called "dog fish" by the people of Jing’an. It is an ancient species that coexisted with the dinosaurs, classified as a Class II nationally protected wild animal and a globally endangered species. Known as a living fossil of biological evolution, it is hailed as the “panda of the water.” Jing’an County has achieved four national firsts in the conservation and research of the Chinese giant salamander: issuing the first public notice to protect the species, establishing the first nature reserve for the salamander, setting up the first dedicated research institute for the species, and achieving the first large-scale artificial breeding of first, second, and third generations of offspring. Today, the Chinese giant salamander has become a national geographical indication species and the mascot of Jing’an County.

The Chinese Giant Salamander Ecological Garden project is one of the initiatives under the “Jiangxi Jing’an Chinese Giant Salamander Breeding, Rescue, and Conservation Base Construction Project” implemented by Jing’an County with support from the National Ministry of Agriculture. This ecological garden aligns with Jing’an’s strategy for developing eco-tourism. With the goal of making the Chinese giant salamander a unique highlight of Jing’an’s eco-tourism offerings, the project focuses on the ecological farming of the salamanders, tourism viewing experiences, cultural exchange, leisure and entertainment, as well as the development and utilization of salamander-related products. The total construction area of the project is 100,000 square meters, including 50,000 square meters for the ecological garden itself. The site includes a 10,000-square-meter breeding pool for the salamanders, a 10,000-square-meter bait fish pool, a 10,000-square-meter interactive area for human-salamander encounters, 10,000 square meters for landscaping and auxiliary facilities, and 10,000 square meters for a comprehensive building and roads. The comprehensive building houses an 180-square-meter live specimen exhibition hall, a 120-square-meter culture exhibition hall, a 120-square-meter arts and crafts exhibition hall, and a 150-square-meter local fish species exhibition hall. The overall layout of the project is rational, the architectural style is distinctive, and the functionality is relatively comprehensive. By the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan period, the project is expected to breed 100,000 juvenile salamanders annually, produce 50,000 kilograms of market-ready Chinese giant salamanders each year, welcome 100,000 visitors per year, involve 1,000 local farming households in salamander breeding, and generate an annual output value of 100 million yuan.

Shankou Village: Shankou Village…… More details about Shankou Village++