A four-foot “monster” was recently entangled by the fishing net of Jiang Weidong who lives in Yandu District of Yancheng City.
With a pair of black eyes on its flat head, this fish swims in water with a flat and long tail. Four visible limbs can be found on its smooth and scale-less body.
The animal is identified as Axolotl, a kind of endangered species originated from Mexico and listed into the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, according to officers of Yandu Administration of Ocean and fisheries. However, in China there has been artificial mass breeding ensuring the species survival.
According to Huang Cheng, associate professor of School of Life Sciences of Nanjing University, there is no evidence to prove that this amphibian is an invasive species. It is just regarded as a pet for its gentle nature.
However, as the environment and temperature in Yancheng City isn’t suitable for the self-reproduction of Axolotl, mass wild breeding is not advocated.
