An elusive Mexican axolotl has been spotted in the UK for the first time by a brave 10-year-old girl named Evie Hill from Leicester. While exploring the River Ogmore in Bridgend, Wales with her mother Melanie, Evie stumbled upon the rare nine-inch Mexican axolotl, marking the first wild sighting of this endangered species in the United Kingdom. With only 50 to 1,000 of these axolotls believed to remain worldwide, the discovery is significant.
Evie recounted how she uncovered the axolotl while flipping rocks by the riverbank. Recognizing the creature from her favorite video game, Minecraft, she was quick to identify it by its distinctive gills. Excitedly, she informed her skeptical mother and proceeded to catch the axolotl with her hands. Due to regulations prohibiting the release of non-native species like the axolotl into the wild, Evie and her mother decided to bring it home.
The axolotl, now named Dippy by Evie, has found a new home with the Hill family in Leicester. Chris Newman, the director of the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, commended Evie for her keen observation skills, emphasizing that her actions likely saved Dippy’s life. Newman noted the rarity of Mexican axolotl sightings in the UK or elsewhere globally, praising Evie’s remarkable find and dexterity in catching the slippery amphibian.
With the axolotl safely housed in Leicester, Evie’s friends at school are fascinated by the unusual addition to her household. The discovery of the Mexican axolotl in the UK by Evie has garnered attention for its uniqueness and the young girl’s exceptional discovery skills.