A ten-year-old girl named Evie Hill made a surprising find in the River Ogmore near Bridgend, Wales. She discovered a rare Mexican axolotl measuring 22 centimeters long. The axolotl, now named Dippy, was hidden under a discarded mat.
Evie recounted her moment of discovery: “I lifted it up, I saw an axolotl and shouted ‘there’s an axolotl!'” The creature had injuries to its tail and stomach, likely from a predator. Evie’s find is significant as wild axolotls are critically endangered and native to Lake Xochimilco near Mexico City.
This sighting is the first documented case of an axolotl in the UK. Experts estimate that only 50 to 1,000 axolotls remain in their natural habitat. Despite their popularity as pets, releasing them into the wild is illegal.
Evie’s mother, Melanie Hill, expressed her disbelief at the discovery: “You can imagine my surprise; I couldn’t believe it.” Axolotls are known for their remarkable regenerative abilities—they can regrow tissue and even a new spinal cord within a new tail.
The finding has sparked interest in pet care for these unique creatures. Social media and video games have popularized axolotls, but their survival in the wild remains precarious. Observers are now curious about how Dippy will adapt to life outside its native environment.
