Tianshannet-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Bai Sujun) news: On November 27, as winter set in and temperatures dropped in Wenquan County, Ji Xiaowei, the head of the Xinjiang Salamander National Nature Reserve management station, along with his colleagues, monitored the species’ activities as displayed on a large screen through a remote microwave video surveillance system.

Since beginning his work in the management station in December 2013, Ji Xiaowei has formed an inseparable bond with the Xinjiang Salamander. “No matter how busy I am, I always think about them. These endearing creatures are like babies, requiring utmost care and affection from humans to ensure their healthy and secure growth,” he said.

The Xinjiang Salamander, also known as Ranodon sibiricus or Central Asian salamander, has four fingers on its forelimbs and five toes on its hind limbs, resembling the fingers of a baby. Its back is deep gray with a light yellow stripe, while the abdomen is white. With a wet and smooth skin, it is an amphibian. The species is mainly distributed in the upper reaches of the branches of the Bortala River system in the western mountainous areas of Wenquan County.

“The Xinjiang Salamander is a relict species dating back 350 million years. It predominantly inhabits high-altitude mountain springs, streams, and also the shallow waters of lakes at elevations ranging from two to three thousand meters within Wenquan County. The wild population of this critically endangered species has now exceeded 3,000,” Ji Xiaowei explained. “As my understanding of the species deepened, I developed a special connection with them. Especially in recent years, with strengthened wetland conservation efforts, seeing how the population of the species has grown over time and how a tranquil habitat has been built for them, I am filled with immense satisfaction and pride.”

In Ji Xiaowei’s laptop, documents related to the Xinjiang Salamander are carefully stored. “These materials are very valuable, and the Xinjiang Normal University research expert team and the reserve’s management staff have made significant contributions to the protection of the species,” he said.

The “Mother of Xinjiang Salamander” has successors

Wang Xiuling, the rediscoverer of Xinjiang Salamanders, has played a crucial role in their conservation.

Photo taken on November 27, 2023 shows Ji Xiaowei and Donghua discuss wild animal activities in the Xinjiang Salamander National Nature Reserve. (Photo by Zhao Xin)

As recollected by Wang Xiuling, in September 1989, as a professor of zoology at Xinjiang Normal University, she rediscovered the Xinjiang Salamander in Jiemaikegou, Wenquan County. She immediately reported to the university, and a research center was established. Leading a team, she conducted field inspections and applied for funds for the conservation and artificial breeding of these endangered amphibians. In 1994, with joint efforts, a 100-square-meter outdoor artificial breeding facility was established in Wenquan County, and Xinjiang Normal University built an indoor cement breeding pond.

“Over the past 30 years, our team has surveyed an area of 2,500 square kilometers, identified six habitats of the species, and to ensure the water temperature meets the standards for hatching, I brought in cooling equipment from home and placed ice cubes in the pond. We regularly caught earthworms for the young salamanders, and finally, we succeeded in artificial hatching,” said Wang Xiuling.

The successful artificial hatching of the Xinjiang Salamander earned Wang Xiuling’s research team the Third Prize of the autonomous region’s Science and Technology Progress Award and laid a solid foundation for the rescue and protection of the species. “From 1996 to 1997, our cooperation with the Biotechnology Research Center of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangdong Province and the School of Life Sciences at Zhejiang University in Zhejiang Province revealed that the wild population of the Xinjiang Salamander was extremely rare and on the verge of extinction, requiring rescue protection,” said Wang Xiuling.

Subsequently, the conservation of the Xinjiang Salamander received attention from the authorities. In 1997, the Xinjiang Salamander Nature Reserve was established at the autonomous region level. In 2016, the Wenquan County Party Committee invested over RMB 7 million to build the Xinjiang Salamander Research and Education Center which integrates science outreach, research, communication, and education. In 2017, the Xinjiang Salamander Nature Reserve was upgraded to a national-level protected area.

After retirement, Wang Xiuling handed over the conservation work to her student, Dr. Yuan Liang, who now leads a team dedicated to the artificial reproduction, population protection, and genomics research of the Xinjiang Salamander. Today, this research team has emerged a new force in protecting the species.

Photo taken on December 11 shows Ji Xiaowei checks the weather, water quality and soil changes in the reserve on a large screen of remote microwave video surveillance. (Photo by Zhao Xin)

“The ‘Mother of Xinjiang Salamanders,’ Professor Wang Xiuling, and the reserve’s guardians are doing their best to protect the species,” Yuan Liang said.

Both human care and technology play a role in conservation

Donghua is one of the caretakers. "I am preoccupied with the Xinjiang Salamanders. They have been like my children for over 20 years, and I feel at ease only when I know they are safe.” Donghua said.

Donghua, aged 67, has made the management station her home. Every April, when the ice and snow melt, a large number of herders return to their pastures. Preventing cattle and sheep from accidentally entering the reserve has become one of Donghua’s patrol tasks. In flat areas, she rides a motorcycle, and in places where vehicles cannot access, she rides a horse. This is to prevent harm to the Xinjiang Salamanders hiding under rocks.

“The Xinjiang Salamanders have poor eyesight, and when they are on land, they often get lost, especially during cloudy or rainy days. During the breeding season, they tend to lay eggs under rocks and search for food along the shore. When livestock trample on the rocks, these little creatures are at risk,” Donghua explained.

In 2016, Wenquan County implemented a series of protective measures in the habitat of the Xinjiang Salamander. "People can observe how these amphibians live through a large screen, thus eliminating human interference,” said Ji Xiaowei. Currently, over 200 Xinjiang Salamanders have been artificially hatched for research purposes. Conservation efforts will continue with love and responsibility.