Axolotl

Hello there. I am an axolotl, a very special kind of salamander. My one and only home is in the cool, fresh waters of Lake Xochimilco, near what is now Mexico City. My name is special, too. It comes from the ancient Aztec language and is connected to a god named Xolotl. When you look at me, you might notice a few things that make me different from other salamanders. I have soft, feathery gills that branch out from my head like a fluffy mane, helping me breathe underwater. And if you look closely at my face, you’ll see my mouth is always turned up at the corners, which makes it look like I have a permanent little smile. It’s my signature look.

I have two amazing secrets that make me a kind of superhero in the animal world. My first secret is something scientists call neoteny. It’s a big word that means I’m a ‘forever-young’ salamander. While my salamander cousins grow up, lose their gills, and move onto land, I get to stay in my underwater home my entire life, keeping my youthful features. My second secret is my superpower: regeneration. If I get hurt and lose a leg or even my tail, I can regrow it perfectly. I can even repair parts of my own heart and brain. My ancestors were first brought to Paris all the way back in 1864, and the scientists who studied them were completely amazed by these incredible abilities. They had never seen anything like it.

For a long time, life in the canals of Lake Xochimilco was calm and peaceful. But as Mexico City grew bigger and bigger during the 1900s, things began to change for my family. Pollution from the city started to seep into our water, making our clean home murky and unhealthy. Then, a new danger arrived. During the 1970s and 1980s, people introduced new types of fish into our lake, like carp and tilapia. These fish were not friendly neighbors. They gobbled up the small creatures that I like to eat, and even worse, they ate our tiny axolotl babies. It became very dangerous and difficult for us to survive. By the year 2006, scientists studying us realized just how much trouble we were in, and my species was officially listed as Critically Endangered.

Even though it is very rare to see one of my kind in the wild waters of Lake Xochimilco today, my story is not over. I have become a symbol of hope for my amazing home. Many kind people are now working very hard to protect us. They build special floating gardens called ‘chinampas’ that act as safe shelters and help filter the water, making it clean again. Scientists are still studying my power of regeneration, hoping that my secrets might one day help humans heal from injuries, too. I can live for 10 to 15 years, and my biggest hope is that by sharing my story, I can inspire people to help protect all the unique and wonderful creatures that share our beautiful planet.