But what is an axolotl? Why are they so fascinating? And is keeping an axolotl as a pet a good idea?<\/p>\n
What is an axolotl?<\/strong><\/h2>\nAxolotls are amphibians from Mexico, where they are native to an increasingly small number of channels and lakes. When discussing \u2018the\u2019 axolotl, we generally refer to A. mexicanum<\/em>, a once-thriving species of salamander now clinging on in Mexico City\u2019s Xochimilco canals. They are neotenous, which means that they retain their juvenile characteristics into adulthood.<\/p>\n ![\""Axalotl\"]( "\\"\"Axalotl\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Axalotls (<\/em>Ambystoma mexicanum) have become sought-after pets. \u00a9 Paul Starosta\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption> Paul Starosta<\/i><\/span><\/div>\nWhere do axolotls come from?<\/strong><\/h2>\nAxolotls are endemic to Mexico. They originally inhabited lakes and wetlands in the Mexican Central Valley, including Lakes Xochimilco and Chalco. However, they have largely disappeared from their historical range, and are now only known from three sites in the southern part of Mexico City in central Mexico \u2013 the canals at Xochimilco, Chalco lake and Chapultepec Lake.<\/p>\n
![\""canal\"]( "\\"\"Trajineras,\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Axolotls are clinging on in the canals at Xochimilco, Mexico City. \u00a9 Carlos Vargas<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption> Carlos Vargas<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n You may also like:<\/strong><\/p>\n- Scientists confirm the rumours of a mysterious giant salamander in the US<\/a><\/li>\n
- The world\u2019s largest amphibian<\/a><\/li>\n
- More about amphibians<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div>
![\""Wild\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2019\/09\/Wild-Chinese-giant-salamander-c-Ben-Tapley-dfcf1c5.jpeg?quality=45&resize=556,556"\" "\\"\"Wild\\"\/")
<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>What do axolotls look like?<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\""An\"]( "\\"\"AXOLOTL,\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Axolotl eyes are lidless. \u00a9 Kevin Schafer\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption> Kevin Schafer\/Getty<\/i><\/span><\/div>\nAlthough pet axolotls are generally white or pale pink in appearance, in the wild they are actually dark coloured \u2013 brownish-grey, with green or golden mottling.<\/p>\n
Chris Lewis, Captivity Research Officer at the charity Born Free, explains : \u201cAxolotls which are commonly featured in the media and kept as pets have translucent white skin and pink gills, but wild populations are naturally dark brown. These white morphs, known as leucistic axolotls, would be particularly unlikely to survive in the wild as their colouration would make them easily visible to predators.\u201d They can lighten or darken their skin colour for camouflage.<\/p>\n
Axolotls have wide heads, short limbs and three pairs of feathery external gills. They can grow to around 45cm (18in), and can move at a lightning speed of up to 10mph (15kph).<\/p>\n
Are axolotls threatened?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\""Axalotl\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/03\/GettyImages-522187680-ec8d82a.jpg?quality=90&resize=606%2C413"\" "\\"\"Axalotl\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Where do axolotls come from?<\/strong><\/h2>\nAxolotls are endemic to Mexico. They originally inhabited lakes and wetlands in the Mexican Central Valley, including Lakes Xochimilco and Chalco. However, they have largely disappeared from their historical range, and are now only known from three sites in the southern part of Mexico City in central Mexico \u2013 the canals at Xochimilco, Chalco lake and Chapultepec Lake.<\/p>\n
![\""canal\"]( "\\"\"Trajineras,\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Axolotls are clinging on in the canals at Xochimilco, Mexico City. \u00a9 Carlos Vargas<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption> Carlos Vargas<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n You may also like:<\/strong><\/p>\n- Scientists confirm the rumours of a mysterious giant salamander in the US<\/a><\/li>\n
- The world\u2019s largest amphibian<\/a><\/li>\n
- More about amphibians<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div>
<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>What do axolotls look like?<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\""An\"]( "\\"\"AXOLOTL,\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Axolotl eyes are lidless. \u00a9 Kevin Schafer\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption> Kevin Schafer\/Getty<\/i><\/span><\/div>\nAlthough pet axolotls are generally white or pale pink in appearance, in the wild they are actually dark coloured \u2013 brownish-grey, with green or golden mottling.<\/p>\n
Chris Lewis, Captivity Research Officer at the charity Born Free, explains : \u201cAxolotls which are commonly featured in the media and kept as pets have translucent white skin and pink gills, but wild populations are naturally dark brown. These white morphs, known as leucistic axolotls, would be particularly unlikely to survive in the wild as their colouration would make them easily visible to predators.\u201d They can lighten or darken their skin colour for camouflage.<\/p>\n
Axolotls have wide heads, short limbs and three pairs of feathery external gills. They can grow to around 45cm (18in), and can move at a lightning speed of up to 10mph (15kph).<\/p>\n
Are axolotls threatened?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\""canal\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/03\/GettyImages-833788284-d23ab2f.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"Trajineras,\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>You may also like:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> Although pet axolotls are generally white or pale pink in appearance, in the wild they are actually dark coloured \u2013 brownish-grey, with green or golden mottling.<\/p>\n Chris Lewis, Captivity Research Officer at the charity Born Free, explains : \u201cAxolotls which are commonly featured in the media and kept as pets have translucent white skin and pink gills, but wild populations are naturally dark brown. These white morphs, known as leucistic axolotls, would be particularly unlikely to survive in the wild as their colouration would make them easily visible to predators.\u201d They can lighten or darken their skin colour for camouflage.<\/p>\n Axolotls have wide heads, short limbs and three pairs of feathery external gills. They can grow to around 45cm (18in), and can move at a lightning speed of up to 10mph (15kph).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>What do axolotls look like?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\""An\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/03\/GettyImages-141864224-4d21527.jpg?quality=90&resize=607%2C413"\" "\\"\"AXOLOTL,\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Are axolotls threatened?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\""Close-up\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/03\/GettyImages-1097906546-dee46c8.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C397"\" "\\"\"Close-up\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>![\""A\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/03\/GettyImages-147015789-474005b.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C412"\" "\\"\"A\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>![\""Two\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/03\/GettyImages-1371087977-bcc77e4.jpg?quality=90&crop=207px%2C0px%2C1689px%2C1125px&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"close\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>