A 10-year-old girl named Evie Hill discovered an injured axolotl in the River Ogmore near Bridgend, South Wales, while on holiday with her family. The creature, nicknamed Dippy, was found under the Dipping Bridge after Evie lifted a discarded mat in the shallows. The axolotl, about 9 inches long, had injuries to its tail and stomach, likely caused by a predator.
Discovery and Rescue
Evie told the BBC: 'I went down to the bank and there was this thing with gills on its head. I was like: 'That's an axolotl.' I was: 'Mum, there's an axolotl in the river.' She went: 'There's not. You're not going back in the water.' So I went back in the water anyway, because I'd seen it. And then I caught it and brought it back.'
Her mother, Melanie, initially disbelieved her but later confirmed the find. After seeking expert advice, the family was told they could keep the axolotl at home. They are now documenting Dippy's recovery in a fish tank on TikTok, questioning whether it was abandoned by a pet owner.
Axolotl Facts
Axolotls are aquatic salamanders native only to Lake Xochimilco near Mexico City and are critically endangered in the wild. However, they have become popular pets due to exposure on TikTok, Instagram, and video games like Minecraft and Roblox. They inspired the dragon Toothless in the 2010 film 'How to Train Your Dragon,' and have appeared in Fortnite and Minecraft.
The amphibians have remarkable regenerative abilities, able to regrow tissue and even a new spinal cord if they lose their tail. Properly cared for, they can live over 10 years. They require cool water temperatures between 16C and 18C and a secure lid to prevent escapes, as they can climb. It is illegal to release them into the wild.
Chris Newman, director of the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, said if Dippy had not been rescued, it had little chance of survival, so Evie 'did him a real favour.'
