Axolotl roughly translates as 'water monster' from an ancient Aztec language. Their scientific name is Ambystoma mexicanum. Axolotls are sometimes referred to as Mexican walking fish, but they are not fish, they are amphibians.
The axolotl originally comes from some lakes in Mexico, but are endangered in the wild due to pollution and loss of habitat. Luckily, they are commonly bred in captivity around the world, so are unlikely to become extinct. As well as making excellent pets, scientists are motivated to breed and study them because they have the amazing ability to regrow parts of their bodies! So if an axolotl has a leg or part of its gills eaten by a fish (or another axolotl) it will regrow it within a few months.
My pet axolotl Nessie gets his name from the Loch Ness monster, the most famous water monster of all!
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