Axolotls: Animal welfare charity concerned about popularity of endangered amphibians
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Have you ever seen an axolotl? They are sometimes pink in colour with frilly gills branching out like a feathery scarf and a face that look as if it's smiling.
You might be familiar with the small creatures from their appearances in games such as Minecraft and Roblox.
But there are some worries that the rise in popularity of axolotls - which are a type of small salamander - in games, means they have become popular as pets in real life too.
The RSPCA - an animal welfare charity - has told Newsround that they are concerned about axolotls being kept as pets as they are difficult to look after, and some owners will be unable to care for the animal properly.
Dr Ros Clubb, from the RSPCA, said: "There have been signs of growing interest in buying axolotls as pets, which might be linked to the popular Minecraft and Roblox video games featuring these salamanders.
"There are a lot of young axolotls, and their eggs, being advertised for sale online so we do fear that they are becoming more popular amongst children.
"They are not easy pets to keep and buying any animal should never be an impulse buy.
"Looking after exotic pets is very challenging as they have the same environmental, diet and behavioural requirements as their relatives in the wild."
The axolotl was revealed as one of the new mobs on Minecraft in the summer
These amphibians need care and attention for their entire lives, which can be 15 years.
Added to Minecraft as part of an update last summer, axolotls are one of the cutest and most popular creatures in the game.
They're rare to find and spawn in the game's caves and caverns and, just like the real life salamander, they need water to survive.
Dr Cubb added: "The RSPCA is particularly concerned when new pet trends emerge as exotic pets often end up in our care later down the line when people realise they're not easy to care for.
"These amphibians need care and attention for their entire lives, which can be 15 years. As well as the correct set-up, including a large tank with good water filtration and the correct temperature, they need regular water changes, veterinary care if they become ill and someone to care for them during holidays and other times away. It's a big commitment."
The axolotl - is a species of salamander, a group of amphibians that often have a lizard-like appearance.
Amphibians are vertebrates (animals with backbones) which are able, when adult, to live both in water and on land.
However unlike other amphibians Axolotls like to remain in water.
Axolotls are fragile creatures. most of their body is made of cartilage rather than bone. That means they should not be handled unless absolutely necessary.
In the wild the animal is critically endangered and native only to Mexico City's Lake Xochimilco.
Only a few axolotls remain in the wild and live in canals like this one near to Lake Xochimilco in Mexico City
It's estimated that one million axolotls are owned by humans worldwide, including in aquariums and laboratories where scientists study them because of their ability to regrow limbs (arms or legs).
Despite their popularity in captivity, they are critically endangered in the country they come from, Mexico.
Named after the Aztec god of fire and lightning, Xolotl, the axolotl has been an important symbol of Mexican culture for centuries.
But the animal is now limited to only a few canals near Lake Xochimilco in Mexico City, where it's thought fewer than a thousand live in the wild.
The creatures have become endangered due to water pollution and habitat loss as humans expand the city.
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