Japanese giant salamander
The Japanese giant salamander is threatened by pollution, habitat loss (among other changes, by the silting up of the rivers where it lives), and overcollection. River disturbance has led to fewer appropriate nesting sites and dams block migration paths. It is considered Near Threatened by IUCN, and is included on CITES Appendix I. It can be found on the islands of Kyushu, Honshu, and Shikoku in Japan. In the past, they were fished out of rivers and streams as a source of food, but hunting has ceased because of protection acts.