Inokashira Park Zoo, located in a quiet and distinctive suburb of Tokyo, exhibits a variety of "native" species like Japanese birds, squirrels, serows and martens. But alongside all these cute animals, there are some very scary, scaly creatures lurking at this zoo's Aquatic Life House.
告知です！
— 井の頭自然文化園［公式］ (@InokashiraZoo) 23 сентября 2017 г.
本日（9月24日（日））13時15分から水生物館のオオサンショウウオに餌を与えます。大きな魚を大きな口で丸呑みにするので、見ごたえあり、です。
お近くにお寄りの際には、ぜひご覧ください。 pic.twitter.com/zQ1sw00G4q
This monster, which actually looks like a prototype of "kaiju," is an Andrias japonicus, or Japanese giant salamander, and though it's not big enough to destroy cities, the size of this amphibian is still impressive.
オオサンショウウオの大あくびです。なかなか見ることが出来ませんが、2週間程度に1回のエサの時間の後には、腹ごなしのためかよく見られます。 pic.twitter.com/HxQFykzuxq
— 井の頭自然文化園［公式］ (@InokashiraZoo) 28 сентября 2017 г.
Japanese giant salamanders can weigh 25 kilos (55 pounds) and reach up to 1.5 meters (5 feet) in length, which makes them the second-largest amphibian in the world, only being surpassed by their very close relatives, Chinese giant salamanders.
At first glance, it seems that the creature is eyeless (and navigates by sensing your fear!)
However, it has a tiny pair of eyes — the zookeepers have kindly pointed out where they are.
オオサンショウウオの目の場所に黄色の丸印をつけました。
— 井の頭自然文化園［公式］ (@InokashiraZoo) 26 июля 2013 г.
目はあまりよく見えていないようです。目の前に近づいた魚やサワガニを食べています。 pic.twitter.com/yBgbnuneTa
There is something that makes these monsters look like Godzilla — the way they yawn, opening their toothless mouths to the width of their bodies. Thank god they don't make this blood-chilling sound too…
Interestingly, it yawns only about once every two weeks to aid digestion, according to Inokashira Park Zoo staff.
The carnivorous animal, which can live to an age of more than 50 years, has a brown and black mottled skin that provides camouflage against the bottoms of streams and rivers so that the unsuspecting prey doesn't see it.
