A 10-year-old girl has discovered a rare Mexican axolotl in a Welsh river, marking the first documented sighting of the endangered amphibian in the British wild. Evie Hill was playing near the River Ogmore in Bridgend, south Wales, when she spotted the nine-inch-long creature under a green mat near the riverbank.
Evie's mother initially doubted the discovery, believing it to be a common newt. However, upon closer inspection, the family realised the significance of the find. They cut short their holiday to take the axolotl, which Evie named Dippy, back to their home in Leicester, researching how to care for it along the way.
Chris Newman, director of the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, stated that Evie "probably saved the axolotl's life" as it would not have survived long in the wild due to predators and already had bite marks. The find has since fascinated Evie's classmates.
The RSPCA has expressed concern over a surge in online searches for axolotls, likely due to their inclusion in the game Minecraft, warning that these amphibians are difficult to care for and should not be impulse bought as pets. Axolotls are critically endangered in their native Mexico, and this sighting highlights the potential risks of exotic pets being released into the wild.
