This unusual looking creature is called an Axolotl. It is the Peter Pan of the animal world: It is an amphibian but unusual in that it reaches adulthood without metamorphosis, so always remain in their larval stage. As a result, they live permanently in water. They are threatened by pollution, and by being eaten by introduced fish species. They live in Central Mexico in canals and lakes and eat freshwater invertebrates.
The name axolotl is thought to have originated from the Aztecs, derived from two words: atl, meaning water, and xolotl meaning monster. Once eaten as a delicacy in Mexico City, they are now a protected species in Mexico and Critically Endangered in the wild.
