Half salamander half H.R. Puff ‘n’ Stuff, the Mexican walking fish is on the verge of turning belly up and floating down the river of extinction.  Known widely as the Axolotl salamander, these cute little buggers are being seriously threatened by water pollution and habitat destruction.  Another big problem is that they are easy prey, basically defenseless, against the non-native species, like the Tilapia and the Asian Carp, that have been introduced to their habitat by the fishing industry.  If the Axolotl survives the attack with a missing limb, they have the unique ability to regenerate most of their body parts.

With the current rise of population in Mexico City, several lakes have been drained and the inadequate sewage systems are infiltrating the waterways. Researchers say the amphibian, found in the polluted canals of Mexico’s Lake Xochimilco, could disappear within five years unless something drastically is done to rectify the situation.

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Image source: Treehugger.com