This species inhabits forests in low hills. They lay small clumps of eggs on land close to small, sheltered pools and ponds. The eggs hatch during the rainy season which flushes the larvae into nearby ponds. It takes about 110 days from egg production to metamorphosis (Fei et al. 2012). They move onto land after metamorphosis, and never return to water again (courtship behaviour and fertilization all take place on land). Larvae have also been found in the irrigation ponds of tea plantations (Xie et al. 2000). 

The species is very long-lived and slow breeding. Studies of the wild population suggests that the species does not become mature until it is at least 4–5 years old, and it has a lifespan of approximately 10 years (Yang et al. 2011). It has a generation length of 4–5 years, and females generally live up to eight years (F. Xie pers. comm. June 2019).

They predate snails, centipedes, and earthworms, among other species (Fei et al. 2012).

This species is only found in the Ningxian and the Beilun areas, east of Ningbo City in Zhejiang Province, China, from 100–200 m asl. The areas are well-surveyed and the species has been found to occur in four small localities, but it has been been extirpated from one of them. It is now also known from an additional locality in the Beilun area from Xinlu Forest Field (F. Xie unpubl. data 2017). Surveys have been conducted in the habitat immediately surrounding the known distribution of this species, but there have been no additional records to date (F. Xie pers. comm. June 2019). Using the range of the species as a proxy, the extent of occurrence (EOO) is 159 km² and because the species is restricted to very small, known sites within its range, the area of occupancy (AOO) is likely to be <10 km².

Conservation Actions In-Place
This species has been listed as a Class II state major protected wildlife since 1988. The largest proportion of the population is within the Ruiyansi Forest Park, which does not yet constitute an effective protected area for the species because of human activities therein, but the subpopulation there is being relatively well-monitored (F. Xie pers. comm. August 2013). A captive breeding programme, which was completed in 2004, successfully released 109 young individuals into the wild (Xie 1999). As part of this programme, artificial breeding pools were put in place in the Forest Park and are still being used by the species (Liu et al. 2010; F. Xie pers. comm. June 2019). The largest number of individuals can be found in these ponds (F. Xie pers. comm. June 2019).

The species is listed in CITES Appendix II.

Conservation Needed
Improved habitat protection and management is required for this species.

Research Needed
Research on its ecology is required.