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Why does an axolotl never grow up?

Meet the axolotl. A small pink creature with fluffy "twigs" on its head and an eternal smile on its face. It seems like a fictional fairy tale hero, right? But in fact, it is a real animal that lives in Mexico and is already becoming a popular pet.

The axolotl is a relative of the salamander. All common salamanders go through the same process as frogs: first they are tadpoles with gills, live in water, and then turn into adults with legs and go out onto land. But the axolotl… stops halfway! It remains a "tadpole" with gills for life. That is why it is also called the "eternal baby".

Those pink "twigs" near the head are gills, like a fish. The axolotl breathes with them underwater. It also has lungs, and can gulp air on the surface, but it spends most of its life in the water.

And now the most amazing thing. The axolotl is a real superhero. If it loses a paw, it will grow a new one. If it loses its tail, it will grow one too. It can even regrow part of its heart! That's why scientists around the world are studying axolotls to understand how to one day treat people.

The axolotl eats not with its tongue, but with its teeth—tiny and sharp. It grabs bloodworms, worms, and pieces of fish. It swallows its prey whole!

If you have an axolotl at home, it lives in cold, clean water — from 16 to 18 degrees. Look at it in the evening: a small pink smile will greet you through the glass of the aquarium. And you will know — it will remember this moment for all its 15 years of life.