Chinese crocodile lizard gives birth to record-breaking 14 babies

(ECNS) -- A female Chinese crocodile lizard gave birth to 14 healthy babies in Guangxi Daguishan Crocodile National Nature Reserve in south China.

It has broken the previous record of reproducing 13 babies here through artificial breeding.

Daguishan Nature Reserve has conducted artificial breeding of Chinese crocodile lizards since 2010.

At present, more than 500 crocodile lizards have been bred here, making it the largest artificial breeding center in the world.

The Chinese crocodile lizard, a national first-class protected wild animal, is as old as dinosaurs.

With a history of more than 250 million years, it is renowned as the "living fossil" of primitive lizards and the "giant panda" of reptiles.

Crocodile lizards are primarily distributed across China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guangdong Province, as well as northern Vietnam.

Wild crocodile lizards are very rare in number, with only 1,300 or so in the world.