One of the world’s most fascinating animals is the Mexican axolotl. It looks just like a pokemon and is as fascinating as one too. There are so many interesting axolotl facts for kids that we are sure that you will be absolutely floored to learn about this amazing animal.
First off, if you are wondering how to pronounce its name, axolotl is pronounced ACK-suh-LAH-tuhl. It takes a bit of getting used to but once you have practiced a bit, it will be rolling off your tongue.
With an upturned mouth, axolotls look like they have a permanent smile, adding to their cuteness.
Let’s dive into some fascinating and interesting axolotl facts for kids.
Amazing and Interesting Axolotl Facts for Kids
1. Amphibians that spend their lives underwater
The axolotl is an amphibian. Other amphibians include frog and toads and they are at home both on land and in the water.
Even though they are amphibians, axolotls spend most of their lives in the water and cannot stay out of the water for long periods of time.
Like other amphibians, axolotls have limbs. They use their legs to walk around in the water, making use of the water buoyancy to carry their body weight.
2. Gills instead of Lungs
The reason why axolotls have a hard time living on land is because they breath through gills. Other amphibians like frogs and toad undergo metamorphosis from young to mature animals. As tadpoles, they have gills but when they reach adulthood, their gills have changed to lungs.
Axolotls do not undergo the same metamorphosis as frogs and toads. Instead, even though they do have lungs and can breath through their skin, they keep their gills all the way to adulthood. The gills remain the way that they breath even as adults.
In order to survive on land, they have to keep their bodies moist and face the risk of drying out. They therefore prefer to remain in an environment with a steady flow of water to keep from getting dehydrated.
3. External Gills
One distinct feature of an axolotl are the frilly things that can be found on either side of their heads. Those are their gills. Unlike fish that have internal gills, the axolotl’s external gills giving them a distinctive look.
4. Peter Pans of the Animal World
Axolotls are considered the Peter Pans of the animal world. While amphibians typically undergo metamorphosis and change their appearance, axolotls keep their youthful features throughout their lives.
In addition to the keeping their feathery gills, axolotls also retain their tadpole-like dorsal fin and webbed feet. It is an indefinitely growing animal and continues to increase in size throughout its entire life.
This is a trait known as neoteny.
5. Ability to Grow Back Their Limbs
Perhaps the most fascinating ability of the axolotl is its ability to grow back its limbs. This amazing trait allows an axolotl that loses an arm, leg, tail, lower jaw and even its brain. What’s more, all this is done without any permanent scarring.
This uncanny ability has led scientists to study the animal to try and unlock how it accomplishes this trick. The aim of this scientific study is in hope that it can lead to potential medical advancements.
6. Only Exists in One Place in the Wild
Another interesting axolotl fact is that they can only be found in one place in the wild. Their only natural habitat is the lake complex of Xochimilco. This is a network of artificial channels, small lakes and seasonal wetlands that can be in southern Mexico City.
Wild axolotls are considered critically endangered and are threatened by encroaching water pollution, a deadly amphibian fungus and non-native rainbow trout.
7. Named After an Aztec God
With all their amazing regenerative abilities, it should not come as a surprise that axolotls were named after an Aztec god.
The axolotl gets its name from Xolotl, the Aztec god of fire and lightning. According to legend, Xolotl, disguised himself in the form of a salamander to avoid being sacrificed.
Xolotl was also associated with dogs. “Atl” is the ancient Aztec word for “water”. That is why axolotl is also sometimes translated to “water dog.”
8. Mexican Walking Fish
Because of their limbs and since they live their lives underwater, axolotls are also sometimes referred to as Mexican Walking Fish.
9. Axolotls are Carnivores
As cute and friendly as they may appear, axolotls are carnivores. Axolotls enjoy a menu of mollusks, worms, insect larvae, small crustaceans, and some fish. When there is live prey present, it will use its mouth to snap at the food and eat it.
10. Axolotls have a Wide Range of Colors
In the wild, axolotls are normally brown and tan with gold speckles with an olive undertone. This color allows it to camouflage in the waters of the lake where they can be found in Mexico.
However, the pigment cells in their skin also allow axolotls to appear as different colors depending on the genes they have present.
Axolotls can be found in white, black, yellow, tan, brown, albino and green. There are even neon-colored axolotls.
11. Can Grow up to 12 inches
Axolotls keep growing throughout their lives. Their average life span in the is between 10 to 15 years. During this period, they can grow up to 12 inches in length even though there is an axolotl said to be the largest in the world growing up to 14 inches.
12. Popular as Pets; Illegal to be Kept in Some Countries
Because of their good temperament, adorable appearance and longevity, axolotls have been kept as pets. This has led them to be ubiquitous in captivity. However, they need to be given good care and attention in order to live and thrive in captivity.
In some states of the United States of America, it is illegal to own and axolotls as a pet. These states include California, Maine, New Jersey, and Virginia.
In New Mexico, axolotls are legal to own but illegal to import from other states. Both New Mexico and Hawaii require the proper permits for axolotls to be kept as pets.
The main reason why axolotls are illegal to be kept as pets is because of the environmental threat that they pose if released into the wild.
We hope that you’ve enjoyed these fascinating facts about axolotls.
If you have, we predict that you will also enjoy these facts about lions for kids or this one on animals that start with A.
