Japanese Giant Salamander

Japanese Giant Salamander
Character Data
Japanese Name: オオサンショウウオ Romanised Name: Ōsanshō̄o First Featured in: Kemono Friends (2015 Game)
Animal Data
Scientific Name: Andrias japonicus Distribution: southwestern Japan Diet: Carnivore Average Lifespan in the Wild: Nearly 80 years Read More: Japanese giant salamander Conservation Status:

Japanese Giant Salamander​

Nexon Game

Japanese Giant Salamander is a type of amphibian Friend that appeared in the original Kemono Friends mobile game.

Appearance

Japanese Giant Salamander has smooth greyish brown hair at medium length with dark patches. She has a dark eye color similar to her hair. She has a thick dark tail with a round end. She is in a greenish grey swimsuit with dark ruffles resembling the skin folds of her species. On top she wears an open, pinkish transparent sleep gown with dark ruffles. She is wearing dark sandals with ribbon.

Series Appearances

Appearances In Kemono Friends Media

Media		Role

In Real Life

Japanese giant salamander is a species of aquatic salamander living exclusively in freshwater rivers and streams of southwestern Japan. It is the third-largest salamander in the world with a length of up to 1.5m (5 feet). It is a special natural monument in Japan and is protected by law.

The species has a brown and black mottled skin as camouflage against the riverbeds. Its skin has large folds at its neck to help breathe through skin more effectively. Its body surface is covered with many small warts. It has tiny eyes with poor eye sight. It has a wide mouth extends across the width of its head. Its primary diet includes crabs, frogs, and fish. It has a very low metabolic rate and can survive without eating for weeks. It has a long lifespan with records of 52 years in captivity and nearly 80 years in the wild.

The species is considered Near Threatened by IUCN. It is threatened by water pollution, habitat loss, invasive species and manmade structures along rivers. Concrete banks and dams in particular has serious impact to its survival as they destroyed its nesting sites and block migration paths respectively.