Nature & Environment

Endangered axolotl found living in the wild

By T.K. Randall
February 24, 2014 ·  8 comments

An axolotl in the water. Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 LoKiLeCh Having come up empty following an extensive search for signs of wild axolotls last year, experts were ecstatic when they managed to find two of them living in the lakes and canals of the Mexican capital.

Thought to have been extinct in the wild, the axolotl is a small, unusual salamander with plumage-like gills and a slimy tail. Sometimes referred to natively as the "water monster", the species is particularly fascinating to scientists due to its ability to regenerate entire limbs."We haven't had any captures, but we have had two sightings," said biologist Armando Tovar Garza. "That's important, because it tells us we still have a chance."

Research efforts will now continue to determine how many wild axolotls are still out there and what can be done to help improve their continued chances of survival.

Source: Times Live | Comments (8)

Tags: Axolotl