Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamanders (Andrias japonicus) males in a burrow at the time of spawning, Kurokawa River, Hyougo, Japan, September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) eating the eggs of another salamander, Japan, August

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) moving upstream to spawn, Japan, August

Yukihiro Fukuda / Male Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) in river, Japan, August

Yukihiro Fukuda / Male Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) protecting his eggs inside his nest, Japan, October

Yukihiro Fukuda / Male Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) protecting his eggs inside his nest, Japan, September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) eggs, Japan, September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) at the entrance to its nest, raising its head to the surface, Japan, August

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) in river, Japan, March

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) reaching up to the surface to breathe, Japan, August

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander hunting at night in a river, Japan, May

Yukihiro Fukuda / Two male Japanese giant salamanders (Andrias japonicus) fertilizing the eggs of a female, Japan, September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Male Japanese giant salamander (Andria japonicus) emerging from a nest hole in order to breathe, Japan, August

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanes giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) underwater, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanes giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) eggs overflowing from the den, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, September.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) eggs overflowing from the den, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, September.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) in a shallow river, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) in front of a manmade dam with no-where to go, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) being measured for size and weight for scientific research, Hino River, Tottori, Japan August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) being measured for size and weight for scientific research, Hino River, Tottori, Japan August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanes giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) camouflaged like a stone, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) breathing, Hino River, Tottori, Japan August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanes giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) camouflaged like a stone, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanes giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) camouflaged like a stone, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamanders (Andrias japonicus) males in a burrow at the time of spawning, Kurokawa River, Hyougo, Japan, September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamanders (Andrias japonicus) males in a burrow at the time of spawning, Kurokawa River, Hyougo, Japan, September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) 'Den master' or dominant breeding male, Kurokawa River, Hyougo, Japan. September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) 'Den master' or dominant breeding male with another male let into the burrow at the time of breeding, Kurokawa River, Hyougo, Japan. September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) dominant male, Kurokawa River, Hyougo, Japan, September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) 'Den master' or dominant breeding male, Kurokawa River, Hyougo, Japan. September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) 'Den master' or dominant breeding male, Kurokawa River, Hyougo, Japan. September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) 'Den master' or dominant breeding male, Kurokawa River, Hyougo, Japan. September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) Hino River, Tottori, Japan, September.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) female spawning Hino River, Tottori, Japan, September.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) near their burrow, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) portrait, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) hunting fish, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) breathing, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) coming up to breathe for a shorter period during spawning, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) coming up to breathe, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) coming up to breathe, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) coming up to breathe, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) underwater, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) moulting Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) coming up to breathe, Hino River, Tottori, Japan, August.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Close up of Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus), Japan, March

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) hatchlings leaving the nest, with adult in the background, Japan, March

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) hatchling leaving the nest, with adult in the background, Japan, March

Yukihiro Fukuda / Male Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) protecting his eggs inside his nest, Japan, September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) eating the eggs of another salamander, Japan, August. Finalist, Wildlife Photographer of the Year (WPOY) 2014 competition, Invertebrates category.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) eggs, Japan, September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) eating the eggs of another salamander, Japan, August

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) eating the eggs of another salamander, Japan, August

Yukihiro Fukuda / Researchers collecting data from Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus), Japan, July 2008

Yukihiro Fukuda / Researcher collecting data from Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) larva, Japan, August 2009

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) prevented from migrating by a dam, Japan, July 2008

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) prevented from migrating by a dam, Japan, July 2008

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) prevented from migrating by a dam, Japan, August 2008

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) hatchling leaving the nest, Japan, March

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) hatchlings at entrance to nest, holding on to aquatic plants so as not to be swept away in the current, Japan, March

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) hatchlings at entrance to nest, holding on to aquatic plants so as not to be swept away in the current, Japan, March

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) hatchlings at entrance to nest, holding on to aquatic plants so as not to be swept away in the current, Japan, March

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) at entrance to nest, with hatchlings, Japan, March

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) hatchling inside nest, Japan, October

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) in nest with eggs containing developing embryos, Japan, October

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) eggs, with developing embryos, Japan, October

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) eggs, with developing embryos, Japan, October

Yukihiro Fukuda / Male Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) protecting his eggs inside his nest, Japan, September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) eggs being eaten by fish, Japan, September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) eggs, Japan, September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Pair of Japanese giant salamanders (Andrias japonicus) at the entrance to their nest, spawning, Japan, September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Pair of Japanese giant salamanders (Andrias japonicus) at the entrance to their nest, spawning, Japan, September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Pair of Japanese giant salamanders (Andrias japonicus) at the entrance to their nest, spawning, Japan, September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Pair of Japanese giant salamanders (Andrias japonicus) at the entrance to their nest, spawning, Japan, September

Yukihiro Fukuda / Two Japanese giant salamanders (Andrias japonicus) fighting at the entrance to a nest, Japan, August

Yukihiro Fukuda / Male Japanese giant salamanders (Andrias japonicus) protecting the entrance of his nest from a second salamander, Japan, August

Yukihiro Fukuda / Pair of Japanese giant salamanders (Andrias japonicus) at the entrance to their nest, Japan, August

Yukihiro Fukuda / Two Japanese giant salamanders (Andrias japonicus) at the entrance to their nest, Japan, August

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus), yawning, Japan, July

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) with Masu salmon (Oncorhynchus) prey in its mouth, Japan, August

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) in a river hunting fish, Japan, January

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) in river, Japan, January

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) in river, Japan, January

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) at the entrance to its nest, raising its head to the surface, Japan, October

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) at the entrance to its nest, yawning, Japan, October

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) at the entrance to its nest, Japan, August

Yukihiro Fukuda / View of the rear leg of a Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus), showing five toes, Japan, January

Yukihiro Fukuda / Close up of nose of a Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus), Japan, January

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) in river, at entrance to nest, Japan, January

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) in river hiding in leaves, Japan, January

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) in river at night with falling snow, Japan, December

Yukihiro Fukuda / Upstream section of the River Hino, passing through woodland, Tottori Prefecture, Japan, Japanese salamander habitat - December 2009

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) in river, Japan, March

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) in river, Japan, March

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) in river at night, Japan, May

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) in river at night, Japan, April