I have a wildlife zoo

The next morning, after breakfast, Fang Ye began meeting with the clerical staff to discuss the design of the various other exhibits. With so many exhibits to handle, he was indeed a bit overwhelmed by the vast amount of data that needed to be gathered.

In the preceding period, the clerical staff had collected a great deal of data, which now proved to be very useful, including information on the natural habitats of various animals, suitable temperatures, and food, as well as presenting their own ideas and opinions.

Beyond the standard exhibit cases, the reptiles and amphibians exhibit also included some larger spaces!

At present, two spaces were being prepared: one for the green pit viper and another for the Chinese giant salamander.

Both belonging to renowned and characteristic amphibians and reptiles of China, their exhibition areas certainly had to be impressive.

The Chinese giant salamander, commonly known as the "infant fish," is not actually a fish but the largest existing amphibian species, with the biggest individuals reaching two meters in length and considered one of China's national treasures.

The earliest discovered fossils date back 165 million years, making it a living fossil in the animal kingdom! In comparison, the equally famous giant panda only has a history of about eight million years.

Unlike ordinary frogs and toads, Chinese giant salamanders are much more particular about their habitat; naturally, any location where these creatures are found is a dense forest with 80%-90% vegetation cover, and there must be an abundance of water sources such as mountain streams and brooks.

Chinese giant salamanders rely on their moist skin to breathe, and the dense forest not only shields them from Sunshine but also creates a humid air environment, preventing them from suffocating due to dry skin.

Even though adult Chinese giant salamanders are capable of crawling onto land, they only dare to move on the land immediately adjacent to stream water; thus, mountain streams and flowing water are essential conditions for the survival of these amphibians!

In addition, water temperatures between 9-20 degrees Celsius are most comfortable for Chinese giant salamanders. When the water temperature falls below 4 degrees or rises above 26 degrees, their food intake decreases, their movements become sluggish, and their growth slows down.

The Chinese giant salamander is also particular about the geological features of its habitat; it prefers to live in limestone areas. Over time, the erosion by river water creates many natural caves, subterranean rivers, and caverns with backflowing water. Adult Chinese giant salamanders generally live solitary lives, and once they choose a cave, they are unlikely to leave it.

These caves not only provide the best sanctuary where they can rest away from light, hide from predators but are also their nurseries for hatching offspring. It is precisely because of these specific secluded breeding grounds that Chinese giant salamanders have been able to survive and continue their lineage for hundreds of millions of years.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Moreover, Chinese giant salamanders have very high standards for water quality, almost to the point of needing an extremely clean habitat. The water they live in must be clear, clean, rich in minerals, with a dissolved oxygen level of no less than 5 milligrams per liter.

During the developing stages of the young, the oxygen content in the water must even exceed 5.5 milligrams per liter, which is nearly equivalent to the standards for human drinking water.

A dense forest, moist air, suitable temperature, secluded caves, flowing rivers, clean water, and plentiful food - this series of conditions are all indispensable for the survival of the Chinese giant salamander.

Due to their demanding environmental requirements, Chinese giant salamanders are also regarded as indicator species for the environment, earning them the nickname "canaries in the coal mine." Spotting a Chinese giant salamander in the wild is a sign of an excellent environment, almost akin to a hidden paradise.

However, with increasing human activities and environmental pollution, the number of wild populations has plummeted, putting them in extreme danger and leading to their classification as a national second-level protected wild animal.

With the breakthrough in artificial breeding technology for the Chinese giant salamander, they have even been placed on dining tables, and many conservation areas have also purchased young salamanders from breeding farms to release into the wild.

While the protection of the Chinese giant salamander seemed promising, recent studies have shown that the population of Chinese giant salamanders contains at least five different evolutionary lineages, meaning five different subspecies.

The disorderly introduction and release of these salamanders for breeding have greatly damaged the genetic diversity of the species, and the wild Chinese giant salamander may be silently going extinct.

Another prime example of the dangers of gene pollution is the hybridization between domestic yaks and wild yaks. Hybridization introduces gene pollution that can cause wild yaks to become smaller, lose some of their adaptive traits for cold resistance and low oxygen levels on the plateau, and narrow their survival range, which can lead to a range of impacts.

Therefore, exhibiting the Chinese giant salamander is not only about displaying this ancient living fossil but also has a high value for conservation education. Seeing the crisis facing the Chinese giant salamander is a sobering reminder.

Firstly, as an environmental indicator, the Chinese giant salamander is highly sensitive to climate change and environmental pollution that can lead to species extinction. If they are the first to go, then other species may gradually follow suit.

Furthermore, information panels on gene pollution can be introduced to tell visitors about the dangers of gene pollution and that they should not release animals haphazardly! Releases must be done with scientific guidance; otherwise, it is not an act of kindness but one of harm. Enjoy exclusive chapters from empire

The education panels in the raccoon exhibition area previously introduced the issue of invasive species due to releases, and combining these two aspects can have a better effect.

Designing the habitat for the Chinese giant salamander naturally involves mimicking the mountain streams, cascades, and pools found in the wild.

The exhibition area for the Chinese giant salamander is a narrow space, 2.5 meters wide and 12 meters long, containing a meandering stream. The shallowest parts of the stream are 20-30 centimeters deep, and it features pools up to one meter deep.

The bottom of the stream is lined with a layer of small pebbles, topped with larger rounded pebbles, which look as if they've been smoothed over the years by the constant flow of the stream.

A water circulation system is installed to keep the water clean, and a cooling system to simulate natural water temperatures, with annual water temperature variations controlled between 6-24 degrees Celsius and an average around 14 degrees.

Day-night temperature differences are created for spring, summer, autumn, and winter, to create conditions suitable for the Chinese giant salamander's growth and reproduction. Sprinklers, misting, and lighting systems simulate natural rainfall and morning fog, among other weather conditions.

The stream is situated on the visitor's side, allowing them to observe the cross-sectional profile of the water below the surface closely. The Chinese giant salamander moves in incredibly clear and transparent water, where cold-water fish such as acrossocheilus fasciatus, with their slender bodies also adapted to live in the streams, will be placed.

Across the exhibition is a damp, black creek bank with jagged rocks, and beneath a dripping rock wall, there is a dark cave recessed into the bank, resembling a mysterious cavern, serving as a dwelling for the Chinese giant salamander.

Plants such as reed sweetgrass, ferns, bamboo, and moss that grow slowly at altitudes of about 700-1200 meters in Hunan, with strong shade tolerance, were chosen to dot the rock wall, with a few driftwood pieces placed on the creek bank.

The gentle trickle of water continuously drips down the rock wall, at times slowly, at times quickly, some falling directly into the water and some hitting the vivid green leaves of the ferns. Bamboo casts dappled shadows over the water, and the Chinese giant salamander plays with green pit vipers in the crystal clear waters - the salamander would undoubtedly thrive in such an environment.

In addition to information panels on the habits, call, and current status of the Chinese giant salamander, visitors will gain a greater understanding of the species and realize the importance and urgency of its conservation.