AXOLOTL AMIGURUMI

The axolotl is one of the most extraordinary and bizarre creatures in nature — once you learn about it, you can't help but be fascinated! It's a Mexican salamander that never grows up. Thanks to a phenomenon called neoteny, they never undergo metamorphosis. They retain their larval features, including their iconic feathery gills, throughout their lives, essentially remaining in a permanent state of childhood. In the wild, axolotls are dark brown or grey, but in captivity, they come in a variety of stunning colours, including pink, white, golden and black. This makes each one look like a tiny mythical creature! They only exist naturally in Lake Xochimilco near Mexico City. They are nearly extinct in the wild due to pollution and habitat loss, yet paradoxically millions are thriving in captivity and laboratories worldwide. Their genome is even 10 times larger than ours. It is truly one of nature's most wonderfully strange creations!