Captive-bred Chinese crocodile lizards released into the wild

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‍A total of 15 captive-bred Chinese crocodile lizards were released into the wild in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region last Friday, as scientists continue to monitor how the rare creatures are adapting.

Officials from the Guangxi Daguishan Crocodile Lizard National Nature Reserve said this is the first time that Chinese crocodile lizards of local provenance have been returned to a natural environment.

Closeup of Chinese crocodile lizard. /Screenshot from the video

Found only in southern China and in northern Vietnam, the Chinese crocodile lizard has been listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List, with only around 2,000 of the species remaining worldwide.

Scientists from Daguishan's captive breeding base freed the 15 lizards in three separate locations. Each of the lizards was implanted with a tracking device to allow researchers to trace the creatures and check up on them in the future.

"We've done research and comparison on the reintroduction locations' vegetative cover, temperature, humidity, water stream, water quality and food resources to make sure these freed Chinese crocodile lizards can live here without a problem. We've done scientific verification on everything," said Huang Chengming, a researcher from the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

A Chinese crocodile lizard by the water. /Screenshot from the video

Experts say it will take some time to determine whether they can adapt to living in a real wild environment.

On the second day after their reintroduction, a team of researchers went back to the release locations at night to check on the lizards' status.

"Chinese crocodile lizards have good vision in day time and it's hard for us to find them. Only at night, when they sleep, we will have a better chance to see them," said Luo Shuyi, an engineer from the Daguishan Crocodile Lizard National Nature Reserve Bureau.

A captive-bred Chinese crocodile lizard with its tracker. /Screensho from the video

Researchers used a radio tracking device and found several of the lizards resting in water and on tree branches.

"So far, the freed lizards are doing fine. They didn't venture too far, and some of them found tree branches to sleep on. We'll continue to track them over the next few days," said Wu Zhengjun, a professor from the School of Life Science of Guangxi Normal University.

A Chinese crocodile lizard in water. /Screenshot from the video

As the sole surviving species of its family known as the Shinisauridae, the primeval creatures have existed on earth for around 250 million years.

After several years of effort, China has worked to raise the number of wild Chinese crocodile lizards from 950 back in 2004 to currently over 1,200.

(Cover image via VCG)

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