Several animals are becoming rare and on the verge of extinction and a lot it is due to the destruction of their homes by humanity. One of the rare animals in particular is the Axolotl, better known as the Mexican Walking Fish.
In spite of its name, these rare animals are not a fish, but an aquatic salamander. Found living in the waterways around Mexico City the Mexican Walking Fish is on the verge of extinction due to the destruction of its living space and the waste water pollution from Mexico City.
With the current rise of population in Mexico City, several of the area lakes have been drained, causing this rare animal to relocate to new waters. Mexico City also has several inadequate sewage systems that are contaminating the existing waterways that these strange, but cute, looking creatures currently inhabit.
There is not an exact count in the amount of Mexican Walking Fish, but studies show that at one time there used to be more than 1,500 of the salamanders in a square mile and now there are fewer than 25.
It doesn’t help that this rare animal is an easy prey, which is also contributing to it’s extinction. The fishing industry has introduced such fish as the Tilapia and the Asian Carp to the Axolotl’s waterways causing the amphibian to be an easy prey. On the plus side, Axolotls have an unusual ability to grow back body parts after an attack by another fish. So, if they survive the attack, they have the ability to regenerate their body parts even parts of their brain or heart.
Currently, this amphibian is most commonly found in the polluted canals of Mexico’s Lake Xochimilco. Recent studies say that these weird animals could become extinct in the next five years unless something significant is done to put a stop to the pollution of their homes.
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