Axolotl, Mexico's 'water monster' disappears

Mexico's 'water monster' disappears
Salamander-like axolotl may have disappeared from its only known natural habitat in Mexico

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Yes, I read this the other day.  Pollution and urban sprawl have decimated their natural habitat.  It is very sad.  We got our 1st axolotl last summer and thinking we had a male, adopted another male.  Came to find out our original male was a female.

As we have a beautiful breeding pair (they laid a tank full of eggs a couple of weeks ago) but no ability to raise up the babies properly, I spoke with my grandson about letting his pets go (they are his and share his room with him) to a better home where others could raise up and share these beautiful babies with people interested in keeping them. We spoke about habitats, and extinction and how special his pets were even though they are tank raised.  We talked about the need to be good stewards of our world because when we are not, this is what can happen.  Axolotls have been listed as "critically endangered" on the IUCN red list for quite some time but now I expect they will move to "Extinct in the Wild".  

I also suggested to my grandson that we could split his pair up and he could take one to live at his house and I could keep one at my house but that he had to take extra special care of his pet at his house as his last pets had died (a pair of frogs).  I told him grandpa and I felt terrible about destroying baby axolotl eggs as the Axolotls were now endangered in the wild so we had to make a decision.  He thought about all this for quite some time and in the end he said "I will let them go to a new home". He cried and looked at me and said "I don't want Marley to come to my house grandma, I don't want him to die".  He asked "Is that the right decision?"  I told him yes it was and I was very proud of him for giving up the pets he loves so much.

Our axolotls leave this weekend to go to their new home.  Our wish is that the new owner will raise up lots of beautiful baby axolotls so that everyone who wants to has a chance to share and help keep this special species alive.  Oh, and Connors final request, that he can get a replacement, a baby of Chadette's and Marley's at some future date.  

In the end we both learned things here.  Connor - about conservation, habitats, stewardship, and letting go sometimes of the things you love because its the right thing to do.  Us - not to take on more than we can handle and to be better educated about our decisions.  We knew we didn't want a breeding pair but thought we were going to have two males.  Lesson learned the hard way. I'm happy we found a good home for them and that they will get to remain together as a pair.

Donna that is an amazing story. I'm proud of your child and I'm proud of you. If I wasn't on the other side of the mountains I would be fishing for some of those babies when they come around. You know, many amphibians and fish will change sex if there are only one type of hormone around. The alpha stays male and the other one changes. I wonder if this was the case or not.

In the case of some swordtails, if there is a tank full of only females, one or more will start to morph and become male. Must be some survival mechanism they developed in the marshes and spring creeks.