By: Edward Yuan

Honestly, if I could have any pet in the world, it wouldn’t be a dog or cat, as most people would say, it would be a very endangered species–the axolotl. You might wonder: why an axolotl? Well, I have come up with three reasons why I love axolotls and want to get one.

Axolotls are a type of salamander that lives its entire life underwater. They have six gills and always looks as if they are smiling. They also have a rare disorder called neoteny, which makes them keep their childlike features for their entire lives. Axolotls live in Lake Xochimilco in Mexico. They used to be able to live in lake Chalco, but the Spanish Conquistadors drained that lake.

Reasons:

• They are almost invincible. Axolotls have a regeneration ability that is common among all salamanders and can regenerate almost any body part in just a few weeks. This way, I don’t have to worry about my pet axolotl if it ever gets hurt for some reason.

• They are very cost-effective. Axolotls are very cheap compared to dogs and cats, only costing around 35 dollars compared to the thousands of dollars you need to buy a dog or cat.

• They live decently long. Despite costing very little, axolotls can live up to 12 years, basically four times as long as a fish.

These are my reasons why I want an axolotl, and if you disagree with me, I am totally fine with that. This is just my opinion and is not meant to change anyone else’s mind.