The reptilian professor helping to save her species

Professor Lew is not a scientific genius, despite the rather prestigious name. She's never even studied science. And yet, she could make a crucial contribution to it. 

You see, Professor Lew is a Chinese giant salamander - one of the rarest reptile species on the planet. 

London Zoo adopted her after UK border officials intercepted smugglers in 2016. They were trying to hide her in a cereal box. 

Today, she is slowly adjusting to her brand new reptile house. The zoo is hoping she'll help start a new breeding program that will boost salamander numbers. "This species is incredibly rare in the wild," says Ben Tapley, one of the zoo's curators. "We spent over seven years of survey effort with our partners in China and found just 24 individuals. So this species is in real trouble.” 

‌London Zoo has created a specially-designed reptile facility to house some of the rarest reptiles in the world. "We have about 33 different species," says Tapley. "Over half of those are EDGE species, which stands for 'evolutionary distinct and globally endangered' species. We want to showcase the vast diversity of reptiles, but also illustrate how threatened they are." 

Professor Lew and her male companion are now living in the new facility. Scientists have performed regular check-ups and even DNA analysis. Zoo staff are also keeping a close eye on the pair, hoping they'll mate when they reach the right age. 

'The salamander is our friend'

Most giant salamanders come from the rivers of central China. The fast-flowing water provides the perfect habitat for them. But that habitat is changing. The species faces a range of deadly threats, including water pollution, urban development and poaching.

The Zoological Society of London is hoping to solve that problem by teaming up with Chinese conservationists. Experts have explored rivers to assess numbers. They've also worked on special protection plans for the species. 

"Our common mission is to build a new image for the Chinese public, showing them that the salamander is our friend," says Zhao Zhong, director of the Chinese environmental group, Green Camel Bell. "The survival rates can be very low, so I think the first step is to clean up the river, to make sure the habitat is suitable for salamanders.”

Back to the future...

Professor Lew and her male friend are the only Chinese giant salamanders in Britain's zoos. They're known as 'living fossils' because their ancestors date back millions of years, all the way to the Jurassic period. 

They can grow to 1.8 meters in length, and some weigh as much as 50 kilograms. It's not always easy to look after them, but Tapley says it's well worth the effort. "This species is really important because it's evolutionary extinct and globally endangered. So, by protecting this ancient lineage of amphibian you're not only protecting all that evolutionary history, but all that future evolutionary potential."

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