Axolotls make their debut at Sarasota Jungle Gardens

SARASOTA, Fla. - Two axolotls just arrived at Sarasota Jungle Gardens.

There will be a lot of kids peering their faces into the aquarium tank that houses the new underwater creatures.

Why are axolotls suddenly popular?

The backstory: They are fully aquatic amphibians that have captured the hearts and minds of Generation Alpha. The video game Minecraft and viral memes are largely responsible for introducing kids to the unique animals.

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A catchy song created by @doctor_waffle went viral on TikTok in January and also popularized axolotls.

Axolotls are in the Bay Area

Why you should care: The Sarasota zoo recently welcomed two axolotls named Chocolate and Vanilla.

Parents are often stumped by what the creatures are when they first see them, according to Aaron Sorbino, Education Zookeeper at Sarasota Jungle Gardens.

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What they’re saying: "Axolotls are very important to the ecosystem with being underwater salamanders," explained Sorbino. "So they are really important to have here and just really important to do education about."

According to Sorbino, the amphibians have big hairs that go around their entire neck, which are their external gills.

For more information about Sarasota Jungle Gardens, click here.

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