Amazing Axolotls: The Salamanders That Never Grew Up

Deep in the lakes and canals near Mexico City, a strange animal swims through the water. It has feathery gills sticking out from the sides of its head, a wide mouth that makes it look like it is smiling, and tiny legs that paddle through the water. This unusual creature is called an axolotl (AK-suh-LAH-tuhl), and it is one of the most fascinating animals in the world.

2 Axolotls are a type of salamander, which means they are amphibians. Amphibians usually begin their lives in water and later move onto land. Frogs, for example, start as tadpoles and eventually grow legs and lungs. Most salamanders also go through major changes as they grow. However, axolotls are different. They stay in their young form for their entire lives. Instead of losing their gills and moving onto land, axolotls remain in water and continue using their gills to breathe. Axolotls are not the only animals that are neotenic. Other examples include other salamanders, some insects and crustaceans.

Long ago, axolotls lived in two large lakes near Mexico City called Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco. Today, Lake Chalco is gone because people drained it to prevent flooding and create farmland. Most wild axolotls now live only in the canals of Lake Xochimilco. These canals were built hundreds of years ago by the Aztec people, who created floating gardens called chinampas to grow crops. Axolotls once thrived in these waters, but now their habitat is shrinking.

Axolotls eat worms, insects, small fish, and tiny crustaceans. They are carnivores, which means they eat meat. At night, axolotls search for food by using their sense of smell and their ability to detect movement in the water. They quickly snap up prey with their mouths. Even though they may look cute, axolotls are skilled hunters.

5 One of the most incredible things about axolotls is their ability to regrow body parts. If an axolotl loses a leg, tail, or even part of its heart, spinal cord, or brain, it can regenerate those body parts. Scientists study axolotls because they hope this ability may someday help doctors learn how to heal serious injuries in humans.

Sadly, axolotls are critically endangered in the wild. Critically endangered means there are very few left in their natural habitat, and they are at high risk of becoming extinct. Pollution from nearby cities harms the water where they live. Invasive fish, such as tilapia and carp, eat young axolotls and compete for food. Boats and growing cities have also damaged their habitat.

Many scientists and conservation groups are working hard to protect axolotls. Some people clean the canals and remove harmful fish species. Others raise axolotls in safe environments to help increase their population. Tourists can visit Xochimilco to learn about these rare animals and why protecting their habitat matters.

Axolotls may seem like magical creatures from a fantasy story, but they are real animals facing real problems. By learning about them, people can help protect these amazing amphibians for future generations.