MEXICO CITY (AP) — Legend has it the axolotl was not always an amphibian. Long before it became Mexico’s most beloved salamander and efforts to prevent its extinction flourished, it was a ...

With its goggling eyes and signature smiley face, the axolotl became Japan's favorite water creature after it was featured in a TV ad in the 1980s. At iZoo, a facility in Kawazu, Shizuoka ...

appearing as characters in Minecraft, Fortnite and Pokémon and inspiring a McDonald’s Happy Meal toy. Where the axolotl can barely be found: in its natural habitat in Mexico.

All over Mexico, the peculiar, dragon-like amphibian can be spotted in murals, crafts and socks. Selected bakeries have caused a sensation with its axolotl-like bites. Even a local brewery ...