Hunan villagers unearth giant dollfish weighing 40 catties

Recently, in Xiangxi, Hunan Province, a villager’s old house was demolished, and construction workers unexpectedly discovered a 40-pound giant salamander under the house!

According to a report from the NetEase account “Seeing the World V”, the incident occurred on February 27. Nearby residents reported that they were busy demolishing the house when someone suddenly shouted, “Quick, come and see what this is!” Everyone gathered around and found a massive giant salamander curled up in the dirt under the house.

A viral video showed several villagers struggling to lift the giant salamander with a fishing net in the rubble of a demolished house, placing it in a large basin. The salamander was extremely large and was still alive.

Upon hearing the news, more residents from the neighborhood rushed to the scene to watch. Many people expressed that despite living for so many years, it was their first time seeing such a large salamander, especially one unearthed from under an old house, which they found quite unusual!

One villager informed “Seeing the World V” that the salamander weighed around 40 pounds, and the village cadres were also present that day, releasing it below a waterfall.

The giant salamander, scientifically known as the Chinese giant salamander, is a rare and unique amphibian native to China. It is named after its cries resembling a baby’s cry and is often referred to as a “living fossil”. They prefer to live in clear mountain streams and creeks, usually hiding in cracks between rocks or caves during the day and coming out to move around at night.

The video sparked discussions online. Many netizens commented, “The water quality under this house must be good if the salamander could survive there.” “If this fish cries in the middle of the night, it would scare a group of people!”

Some shared their own experiences, “In our old house, a courtyard with an open sky in the middle, we found several turtles when we demolished it.”

However, some also said, “This is what the elderly often say, that when old houses are not well-kept, they attract certain animals to live in them.”

This discovery of the giant salamander hidden beneath an old house has fascinated locals and online audiences alike, showcasing the mysteries that can be uncovered in unexpected places.