Using local ecological knowledge to assess the status of the Critically Endangered Chinese giant salamander Andrias davidianus in Guizhou Province, China Y UAN P AN ,G ANG W EI ,A NDREW A. C UNNINGHAM ,S HIZE L I ,S HU C HEN

The Critically Endangered Chinese giant sala- mander Andrias davidianus, the world's largest amphibian, is severely threatened by unsustainable exploitation of wild individuals. However, field data with which to assess the sal- amander's status, population trends, or exploitation across its geographical range are limited, and recent field surveys using standard ecological field techniques have typically failed to detect wild individuals. We conducted com- munity-based fieldwork in three national nature reserves (Fanjingshan, Leigongshan and Mayanghe) in Guizhou Province, China, to assess whether local ecological knowl- edge constitutes a useful tool for salamander conservation. We collected a sample of dated salamander sighting records and associated data from these reserves for comparative as- sessment of the relative status of salamander populations across the region. Although Fanjingshan and Leigongshan are still priority sites for salamander conservation, few re- cent sightings were recorded in either reserve, and respon- dents considered that salamanders had declined locally at both reserves. The species may already be functionally ex- tinct at Mayanghe. Although respondent data on threats to salamanders in Guizhou are more difficult to inter- pret, overharvesting was the most commonly suggested explanation for salamander declines, and it is likely that the growing salamander farming industry is the primary driver of salamander extraction from Guizhou's reserves. Questionnaire-based surveys can collect novel quantitative datathatprovideunique insightsintothelocalstatusofsala- mander populations, and we advocate wide-scale incorpor- ation of this research approach into future salamander field