Girl, 10, finds rare Mexican axolotl under Welsh bridge

A nature-loving 10-year-old girl who found an endangered amphibian under a bridge has left her mum in "shock, surprise and disbelief".

Melanie Hill said her daughter, Evie, discovered the nine-inch Mexican axolotl as they spent the day near the River Ogmore in Bridgend.

She said Evie was "always finding things" like newts and bugs, but said the axolotl discovery was a surprise.

It is the first documented discovery of an axolotl in the wild in the UK with only 50 to 1,000 individuals left globally today, according to experts.

Axolotls as pets have seen a surge in popularity in recent years after they were introduced to video games such as Minecraft and Roblox.

Evie first saw the pale axolotl nestled in the rocks after lifting up a discarded mat in the shallows of the River Ogmore.

She was playing in the water under the 'Dipping Bridge' that sits at the entrance to Merthyr Mawr village when she noticed the creature had damage to its tail and stomach.

"I went down to the bank and there was this axolotl there," said Evie. "I caught it and brought it back."

Melanie said they were touring Wales in a camper van at the time and had seen people recommending the beauty spot online.

"The kids were down at the water having a nose and suddenly everything changed.

"You can imagine my surprise, I couldn't believe it," she added.

The family decided to cut their holiday short to take the axolotl back to their home in Leicester, naming it Dippy as a tribute to where Evie found it.

Chris Newman, director of the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, said Evie probably saved Dippy's life when she discovered it.

The find was initially not a surprise for Melanie, who says her daughter has a fascination with nature.

But it quickly dawned on her that this was not your typical find for a day trip to south Wales.

"I've been telling Evie all this time that those creatures she watches on YouTube, they're not real.

"Here I am with one in my kitchen," she said.

Melanie said she did not realise axolotl's "could grow that big". They can reach 12 inches (30cm) in length, but on average, grow to about 9 inches (23cm) according to experts.

Melanie said they have "spent hours" researching ways to keep the axolotl healthy and that they have "no regrets" about bringing it home.

"We've got a much bigger tank, and we plan to get that set up so it can be transferred," she added.

After seeking expert advice, the family have been told that they are allowed to keep the axolotl at home.

Dippy has also been a big hit in school as Evie shows off her new pet.

"Everybody at school is fascinated about the story of Dippy," she said.

"I think it's really interesting."

Axolotls as pets have become more popular in recent years because they feature in games such as Minecraft and Roblox.

The RSPCA said this was causing concern as people underestimated how difficult they are to look after, meaning some owners were unable to care for the amphibian properly.

Dr Ros Clubb, from the charity, said: "There are a lot of young axolotls, and their eggs, being advertised for sale online so we do fear that they are becoming more popular amongst children.

"They are not easy pets to keep and buying any animal should never be an impulse buy."

He added that looking after axolotls can be "very challenging" as they have the same environmental, dietary and behavioural needs in captivity as they do in the wild

Axolotl's used to be found in abundance in Mexico but urban expansion and the decline of the chinampas - agricultural islands - have drastically reduced their habitat.

They have flourished in captivity and are commonly used as aquarium pets, zoo attractions and even on Mexican currency. But in the wild they are dangerously close to vanishing forever.

Discoveries of creatures like Dippy should always be reported to the government through organisations such as the National Centre for Reptile Welfare.

Director Chris Newman said there were no recorded sightings of Mexican axolotls in the UK or the world, adding that Evie probably saved its life.

"This is a quite a unique situation, and I think the young female has a keen eye to actually spot it," he said.

"I think she did remarkable to find him."

Without her help, Newman said the axolotl had little chance of living very long, so she "did him a real favour" by catching him.

"That itself is no mean feat," he said.

"They're quite slippery, so I think she did really well."