AXOLOTL REPORT

AXOLOTL

Axolotl are walking mexican fish. They are amphibians who spend the whole lives in the water.

APPEARANCE

An axolotl is grey or white in colour with black eyes.The colour of an axolotl depends on its cells.

Axolotls can grow up to 30 cm length and weigh up to 60-227 grams.The Axolotl ages but remains in its larvae for its entire life.

Habitat

The axolotl is found in the high-altitude lakes near Mexico City, the axolotls is historically native to the lakes of Chalco and Xochimilco. Unfortunately, today only Lake Xochimilco is  there and along with the drying up of Lake Chalco, much of the Axolotls' habitat dried up with it.

DIET

The axolotl eats little fish and worms and insects including other salamanders. In the lab, axolotls are fed brine shrimp.

PrEDATORS

The most common animal predators of the axolotl are birds, including storks and herons. However, the introduction of large fish into the lakes and channels has meant the addition of this natural threat to his survival as well.

POPULATION

In the past two decades, the wild population of the axolotl has fallen sixtyfold. Today there are estimated to be between 700 and 1,200 axolotls in the wild.

BEHAVIOR

What is very interesting to experts is that the Axolotl is able to regenerate body parts. When they are attacked by predators they can release one of the appendages to escape. Before long that appendage will grow back. They can be boring to watch though as they often don’t move for several hours at a time. When they do move they are slow.

CLOSING STATEMENT

The status for the Axolotl at this point in time is Critically Endangered. They are in danger due to the high levels of pollution that have been increasing in the bodies of water where they live.