Axolotl, rare salamander native to Mexico, discovered in Pennsylvania waterway
An aquatic creature that is extinct in the wild everywhere except Mexico City was discovered in a Pennsylvania waterway. The axolotl was found swimming in Walnut Creek near Lake Erie and brought to a local pet shop.
Buzz N' B's Aquarium & Pet Shop posted on Facebook, sharing a photo of the female axolotl in a tray of water near snow and leaves.
"No domesticated animal can be safely released outside — not even aquatic ones," the pet shop wrote. "They depend on proper water quality, temperature, and care to survive."
According to local media reports, the axolotl was medicated for a fungal infection but ultimately died.
What is an axolotl?
Axolotls are a type of salamander only found in waterways in Mexico City. The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates that there are only about 50 to 1,000 mature axolotls in the wild. The creatures, which can grow to about a foot long, are considered critically endangered.
According to the Natural History Museum in London, axolotls are known as a conservation paradox since they're almost extinct in the wild, yet they're widely distributed in pet shops and labs throughout the world. Axolotls are kept as pets, and they're studied by scientists who want to understand their ability to regenerate body parts. But experts say the captive population is very inbred, meaning there isn't much genetic diversity, and they're vulnerable to disease.