Girl, 10, finds rare Mexican axolotl under Welsh bridge

Girl, 10, finds rare Mexican axolotl under Welsh bridge10 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleOscar Edwards,BBC WalesandNiki CardwellMelanie Hill'Dippy' the axolotl has found a new home in LeicesterA nature-loving 10-year-old girl who found an endangered amphibian under a bridge has left her mum in "shock, surprise and disbelief".Melanie Hill said her daughter, Evie, discovered the nine-inch Mexican axolotl as they spent the day near the River Ogmore in Bridgend.She said Evie is "always finding things" like newts and bugs, but said the axolotl discovery was a surprise.It is the first documented discovery of an axolotl in the wild in the UK with only 50 to 1,000 individuals left globally today, according to experts.Axolotls as pets have seen a surge in popularity in recent years after they were introduced to video games such as Minecraft and Roblox.Endangered Mexican axolotl found under a bridge in the UKEvie first saw the pale axolotl nestled in the rocks after lifting up a discarded mat in the shallows of the River Ogmore.She was playing in the water under the 'Dipping Bridge' that sits at the entrance to Merthyr Mawr village when she noticed the creature had damage to its tail and stomach."I went down to the bank and there was this axolotl there," said Evie. "I caught it and brought it back." The family decided to cut their holiday short to take the axolotl back to their home in Leicester, naming it Dippy as a tribute to where Evie found it.Chris Newman, director of the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, said Evie probably saved Dippy's life when she discovered it.Melanie HillEvie said everyone at school finds her new pet "fascinating"The find was initially not a surprise for Melanie, who says her daughter has a fascination with nature.But it quickly dawned on her that this was not your typical find for a day trip to south Wales."I've been telling Evie all this time th...