Japanese Giant Salamander

Andrias japonicus

The world's second-largest salamander, a 5-foot river dweller from Japan that can live more than 70 years.

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About the Japanese Giant Salamander

Japanese giant salamanders can reach 5 feet long and 55 pounds, second in size only to Chinese giant salamanders. They have flat heads and wrinkled, mottled brown and black skin. They live in cold, fast-flowing mountain streams in central Japan. They eat fish, insects, crayfish, snails and small mammals, finding them by smell and vibration because their eyesight is poor.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Andrias japonicus^[1]
Size: Up to 5 feet long.^[1]
Weight: Up to 55 pounds.^[1]
Lifespan: More than 70 years.^[1]
Diet: Carnivore. Fish, insects, crayfish, snails and small mammals.^[1]
Habitat: Cold, fast-flowing mountain streams.^[1]
Where it lives: Central Japan.^[1]
Group life: Solitary. Nocturnal.^[1]
Babies: 400 to 600 eggs guarded by the male for 40 to 60 days.^[1]
Conservation status: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List, assessed 2021).^[2]

Fun facts

It can live more than 70 years.^[1]
The male that guards the eggs is called the 'den master.'^[1]
It can regrow skin and bone.^[1]

Vocabulary

amphibian: A cold-blooded animal, such as a frog or salamander, that usually starts life in water and has moist skin.
metabolism: How fast an animal's body uses energy.
regenerate: To grow back a lost body part.
nocturnal: Active mainly at night.
vulnerable: A conservation label meaning a species faces a high risk of dying out in the wild.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Reptile Discovery CenterSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Japanese giant salamander.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/japanese-giant-salamander (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Andrias japonicus (Japanese Giant Salamander).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/1273/177177761 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

More Salamanders

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