Facts About the Mexican Walking Fish
The Mexican walking fish -- more commonly referred to as the axolotl -- is not a fish, but rather an amphibian, native to Central Mexico. As Aztec legend goes, the sun god Xolotl took the form of this salamander to escape sacrifice, but he eventually was boiled in a kettle. Modern axolotls, however, are alive and well in private collections and research facilities, thanks in large part to cartoonishly cute features and a remarkable ability to regenerate limbs and skin. While these captive populations flourish, the fate of wild axolotls appears as ill-fated as their mythical predecessor.
