Axolotls have exploded in popularity, but they are fighting for survival

You may have come across axolotls – those smiling amphibians with pink, plume-like gills – in pet stores, as plush toys, or even featured in video games.

Yet, their growing presence in popular culture has emerged just as the wild population of this remarkable species faces critical endangerment.

Axolotls have become a cultural icon

James Monaghan, a biology professor at Northeastern University, has long studied axolotls and their extraordinary regenerative capabilities. “Axolotls have just exploded in popularity the past couple of years,” he said. 

Monaghan recalled that when he began his PhD studies, the general public had little idea what an axolotl was. 

“No one knew in the general public what an axolotl was, so I’d have to explain,” he remembered, contrasting that with today’s situation: “Now I just can say, ‘Oh, I work on axolotls,’ and everyone just lights up.”

Monaghan noted that young people, in particular, have been drawn to axolotls, most likely due to their aesthetic charm. 

“They’re pink, they have feathers,” he said. “Well, they don’t really have feathers, but their gills are feathery. They have a constant little smile on their face. If you were to create a cute animal that you couldn’t think existed naturally, it’s kind of the axolotl. It’s got the vibes of a dragon, but a nice dragon.”

From ancient roots to gaming stardom

The axolotl is no newcomer to cultural significance. “It’s named after an Aztec god, Xolotl,” Monaghan explained, referencing its deep ties to Mexican heritage. Initially found in Lake Xochimilco near Mexico City, this amphibian’s recent surge in popularity has transcended borders.

Its presence in mainstream culture can be traced in part to its introduction into the world of Minecraft, a video game of immense popularity. 

“Minecraft is enormously popular for young players. The game allows for social play, exploration, sandbox style play where you can make anything,” said Northeastern assistant professor of computer science Alexandra To. By featuring axolotls, the game inspires curiosity and a desire to learn. 

“Minecraft provides players great intrinsic motivation to discover more about any new elements that are added to the game,” To added.

In some cases, this might involve players constructing elaborate environments to house every in-game creature. “As my own partner did, in embarking on a project to create an enormous zoo with every in-world animal,” she remarked.

Monaghan suggests that axolotls may have also influenced other media. “I don’t know if it’s actually the motivation for ‘How To Train Your Dragon,’” he said, pointing out that the character Toothless resembles an axolotl with its perpetual smile and ear-like flaps suggesting feathery gills.

Scientific significance of axolotls 

While their looks and cultural presence have captured public affection, axolotls are scientifically remarkable as well. Their regenerative powers extend beyond limbs. Monaghan’s lab has found that they can regenerate a large portion or their lung. 

“They are notoriously resistant to cancers, never get infections after an injury,” he said, and can live for up to two decades – qualities that have made them valuable subjects of study for generations.

“Axolotls are the longest standing lab animal of any animal, longer than flies, longer than worms, longer than mice,” Monaghan said. First collected in 1864 from Lake Xochimilco, their initial appeal stemmed from their unusual, fully aquatic life cycle. 

Over time, they became critical for studies on genetics, development, and regeneration. With modern genetic tools like CRISPR, researchers can now pinpoint which genes drive their regenerative capabilities.

All lab and pet axolotls today descend from that original 19th-century population, and this lineage includes the distinct white axolotl familiar to fans worldwide. 

“The white axolotl, which seems to be pretty much every stuffed animal that’s out there, is actually a mutation of a single animal that was collected in 1864,” Monaghan explained. “You can get color variants, but the pink variety – that’s from one founding animal.”

A species in peril

As axolotls capture hearts around the globe, their wild counterparts hover on the brink of extinction. Once, locals could easily scoop them from Lake Xochimilco’s waters. 

“Maybe up to the 1950s, you could put a net in Lake Xochimilco, the canal system, and pull up adult axolotls. And then every decade since, it’s just crashed,” Monaghan said. “To the point now that they’re critically endangered, and it takes weeks to even find one.”

They are exquisitely sensitive to environmental changes. “Being an amphibian, you’re at the whim of your environment. You’re taking in everything through your water,” he explained. 

Climate change warms these waters, making survival harder, while pollution and introduced species further destroy fragile habitats and devour axolotl eggs.

The challenge of conservation

Given their success in captivity, one might assume we could simply return these lab and pet lineages to Lake Xochimilco. But it’s not that simple. 

“It’s probably not the best strategy to take a species that’s been inbred since 1864 and reintroduce it into its natural habitat,” Monaghan said. 

The modern axolotl has adapted to controlled conditions, while its original environment has changed drastically. 

“We can’t take the current axolotl and put it into the environment in Mexico City and expect them to thrive the same way as the original collection in 1864. The environment’s changed, but the animals themselves have changed.”

Still, rising awareness may help efforts to protect the axolotl’s wild habitat. According to To, the team behind Minecraft has embraced conservation as part of its mission. 

“Mojang has been pretty transparent about conservation as one of their core values,” she explained. “The inclusion of axolotls and their in-game rareness mirroring their real-world endangered status is a fantastic example of how game mechanics can reinforce educational messages.”

Monaghan is involved as well, serving on the advisory board of the Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center to support both scientific understanding and conservation. “Those direct efforts could really go a long way toward saving the axolotl,” he said.

All this attention suggests that the axolotl’s time has arrived. “All of a sudden, it seems to be absolutely everywhere,” Monaghan said.  Yet, for all the joy and fascination these creatures provide, the work to secure their future in the wild is only just beginning.

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