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Richard has done extensive conservation work on the salamander, which is endangered and an endemic species to Japan. Weighing 25–26 kg in the wild, it has a wide mouth that spans the width of its head. Its skin has extensive folds, which increase surface area for oxygen absorption. While fully aquatic, it relies on skin and a single lung for oxygen. Male salamander uniquely clean and protect the eggs.
In the talk, Richard tells how it inhabits cold mountain streams, requiring clear, oxygen-rich water, sometimes near rice paddies, which provide abundant prey. However, he tells of threats ranging from habitat fragmentation to dams, concrete channels and pollution.
Richard Pearce is from the United Kingdom and read Environmental Management at the University of Lancashire. He has resided in Japan for 15 years and is a Japanese Giant Salamander Licensed Researcher. He is the CEO of Sustainable Daisen NPO, a non-profit organisation protecting the Japanese giant salamander and its unique habitat of Mount Daisen. He is also a Director at Bushido Adventure Travel Ltd and owns a local guest house. Since 2024, he has also worked at National Parks Japan.
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