10-year-old girl discovers endangered axolotl in Welsh river in UK first
First documented wild discovery of Mexican axolotl in UK, with only 50-1,000 left globally
Quick Look
- A 10-year-old girl discovered an endangered Mexican axolotl in the River Ogmore in Bridgend, Wales — the first documented wild discovery of the species in the UK.
- The family took the amphibian home to Leicester, naming it Dippy.
- Experts estimate only 50 to 1,000 axolotls remain globally.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
This is the first documented discovery of an axolotl in the wild in the UK. The Mexican axolotl is critically endangered in the wild with only 50 to 1,000 left globally, according to experts. The species is native to Mexico and is commonly kept as a pet worldwide.
A 10-year-old girl who found an endangered Mexican axolotl while on holiday in Wales has told the BBC about the moment she found and caught the amphibian. It is the first documented discovery of an axolotl in the wild in the UK, with only 50 to 1,000 left globally, according to experts. Evie was playing in the shallows of the River Ogmore in Bridgend when she spotted the axolotl nestled in the rocks. The family decided to cut their trip short to take the animal back to their home in Leicester, naming it Dippy as a tribute to where Evie found it. "I think it's a really nice change to the family," Evie said about having Dippy. Chris Newman, the National Centre for Reptile Welfare (NCRW) director, said the manner in which Dippy was found suggested its previous owner had released it due to a "change in circumstances".
Open Questions
- How did the axolotl end up in the River Ogmore?
- Was the previous owner identified?
- Will Dippy be transferred to a specialist facility?
