This Is Not A Toy

This is an Axolotls. An Axolotls is a Mexican amphibian that never grew up and is on the verge of going extinct in the wild. The PPP had to do massive amounts of research to make sure that this animal was for real and not a Mattel toy as he looks so darn cute. Like a hairless creature from Fraggle Rock.

New survey work suggests that fewer than 1,200 Mexican axolotls remain in its last stronghold, the Xochimilco area of central Mexico. The axolotl is a type of salamander that uniquely spends its whole life in its larval form. But they usually do so in response to their environment, for example, if temperatures are too cold to emerge onto land as an adult salamander, the tadpole larvae may just keep growing underwater instead.

The Mexican axolotl is the only species that never undergoes metamorphosis. Its odd lifestyle, features and ability to regenerate body parts make it a popular animal kept in labs, schools and as pets.

As the human population grows, the wetlands where the Axolotls lives have grown smaller. The most recent work shows that the reduction in water quality is one of the main factors driving the axolotl to extinction in the wild.

Another is the presence of large numbers of introduced carp and tilapia fish, which both compete ecologically with axolotls for food and resource, and also eat axolotl eggs.

Reintroducing the axolotl to other axolotl is dangerous because it may introduce disease and wipe them out completely.

I personally think the axolotl is a little Mexican fairy and he is disappearing because this world has lost faith in magic, but hey that's just my opinion. I wouldn't mind one as a pet but I know my mother would mind feeding it bugs as she is a vegetarian know and would probably want to serve it cold pressed flax seed (very good for the heart, immune system and skin!).

This little fella is so darn cute! He looks like he is smiling in the picture. I'm thinking maybe we can do a cartoon with me as the lovable cute Maltese and Alessandro the pixie-like axolotls who rides on my head looking for adventure in the forests of Mexico and in New York City. What do you think? I gotta get Uncle Adrian to start drawing up some story boards.

It's a million dollar idea! Chow for now!