"Scuba looks like an axolotl but without gills."
"I know a lot about axolotls."
"Are axolotls larval salamanders?"
These are just a few comments I've heard recently at outreach programs, field trips, and the "Ask A Naturalist" station in the exhibit. It seems like everyone under the age of 12 is talking about axolotls!
Is the obscure animal now a part of elementary school curriculum? Or was there a Wild Kratt's episode on the Mexico native? I don't know why axolotls are trending now, but I figured I'd better learn more about them!
Axolotls are a rare salamander species found in Mexico that spend their whole lives underwater. Instead of undergoing metamorphosis and transforming into a land-based salamander, they maintain their larval body, complete with a finned tail and feathery gills, through adulthood. Due to habitat loss and invasive species, axolotls are listed as critically endangered.
Update 6/25/2022: I just found out their popularity is due to their appearance in the video game Minecraft. Thanks to the game designers for getting the word out about this endangered species!
So fascinating! Makes me feel like a school kid again. Thank you.