But back to the creature at hand… 

While most amphibians grow out of their aquatic phase to begin their lives on land, the axolotl largely retains its larval characteristics and spends its adult life in the water. It does, however, get bigger—up to a foot long.” – WWF

In the graphic above, we see a salamander going about its normal life cycle – an egg – growing a tail – popping out some legs – and then ready to leave its home and explore the world! BUT the axolotls be like… peeking out of the water – dipping their toes on land – and… “Nah, I’m gonna stay here in this freshwater – my brothers & sisters have fun out there, make sure to write and tell me about your grand adventures.”

And not only do they live in water – they are currently very selective on the water they live in. One country, one city, and more specifically one lake that they call home.

Where Do Axolotls Come From?

In the lake and canal complex of Xochimilco (pronounced SO-chee-MILL-koh) near Mexico City the axolotls have lived in an ecosystem that they of course highly depend upon, and that greatly depends upon them.

This relationship has gone waaaaay back to the ancient Aztecs – who first discovered the species in the 13th century. They were named after Xolotl, which is the Aztec god of fire and lightning, and slapped on an “atl” which was the word for water – and so there ya go – axolotl. (Sometimes also referred to as “water dog”.)