The axolotl is a type of salamander that remains aquatic its entire life. It is known for its feathery external gills, wide head, and smile-like mouth. Axolotls can be various colors, including black, white (leucistic), and pink.
Endemic to Mexico, axolotls are native to Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco, though Lake Chalco no longer exists.
Axolotls are freshwater animals found in lakes and canals, preferring calm and well-vegetated waters.
They are mainly nocturnal and are bottom dwellers, hiding under rocks or other objects on the lakebed during the day.
Axolotls are carnivores, feeding on mollusks, worms, insect larvae, crustaceans, and some small fish.
Axolotls reach sexual maturity at about one year of age. Females can lay hundreds of eggs, which are fertilized externally by the male.
Their population is threatened by habitat loss, pollution, and introduction of invasive species. They are considered critically endangered in the wild.