The efforts that people make to save endangered species have always been huge undertakings, as losing an animal to extinction is tough to see. Sometimes, it almost seems like certain species are doomed to die off, which was the concerning theory for the longest time when it comes to the axolotl. Now, there is hope for these aquatic critters, thanks to the recent discovery found with captive breeds.
Axolotls are an amphibian species native to the lakes of Mexico. They are known for their alien-like appearance and vibrant-colored skin, which has made them cute pets for many people around the world. Their population decline is largely due to the pollution and habitat loss happening in Mexico, making it difficult for them to survive. There seemed to be no chance to repopulate the axolotls in great enough numbers until researchers learned that the captive breeds of the animal could survive out in the wild.
Captive-bred animals are usually unable to adapt to the outside world, due to their upbringing being much more different for them to adapt. They can lose the ability to catch prey, avoid predators, and other tasks needed to keep their numbers afloat. The axolotls released by researchers in California, however, have been able to stick around and function properly in these new environments. If we can assist in reforming habitats that were originally lost, we might see a significant spike in their population and eventually rule them out as being endangered. There is still a lot to do before that happens, but this discovery makes it so that these amazing creatures can still have a bright future ahead of them.
