A) This little mouth works like a vacuum to suck in worms, insects, and small fish!
B) These feathery gills help it breathe underwater.
R.1, R.2, R.7
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CCSS
The Amazing Axolotl
It’s suddenly famous—but there’s more to this creature than its cute face and goofy gills.
Shutterstock.com
Meet the axolotl! (AK-suh-lah-tuhl)
Jim McMahon/Mapman ®
It’s an amphibian from Mexico. Most amphibians live on land when they get older. But the axolotl spends its whole life in water.
By the Numbers
10 miles per hour
That’s how fast this speedy critter can swim.
9-12 inches
That’s the average length of the axolotl.
1,000
That’s about how many are left in the wild. (Many more are kept as pets or studied in labs.)
Secret Superpowers
Scientists say that learning more about axolotls could help humans:
Heal from Injuries
If axolotls get hurt, they can regrow their skin, arms, tail—even parts of their heart or brain!
Stay Healthy
Axolotls are at least 1,000 times less likely to get cancer than mammals.
Celebrity Status
The axolotl is having a major moment:
via TikTok (TikTok); Mojang Studios (Minecraft); Shutterstock.com (All Other Images)
On TikTok (left)
Pet owners can’t stop sharing videos of these critters.
In Video Games (center)
Finding axolotls in Minecraft can help you battle enemies.
On Money (right)
In 2021, Mexico put the axolotl on its new 50-peso bill.
YOU WRITE IT: Wild axolotls are in danger of dying out. Should we save them? Why or why not? Write a one-paragraph speech using facts from the infographic.
Teaching Resources
Text-to-Speech