How are people able to keep Axolotl as pets if they’re a critically endangered species?

Question

I’ve seen videos and posts online of people caring for Axolotls in aquariums, but I’m confused as to how people get them, since they’re always talked about being a highly endangered species

In: 4

Answer 1

They’re critically endangered *in the wild* because their habitat has been destroyed by encroaching human agriculture.

They’re relatively easy to breed in captivity, and so widely available in the aquarium trade – although I hear they’re tricky to actually keep healthy.

This is the case for a lot of aquarium species – they’re perfectly hardy and easy to breed, but cannot be reintroduced into the wild because their habitat simply doesn’t exist anymore.