Girl, 10, left in shock after discovering critically endangered Mexican creature under bridge in Wales

Ed Griffiths
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:14:02 +0000

A 10-year-old girl has made an extraordinary discovery while on holiday in South Wales after stumbling upon one of the planet's most endangered animals 5,500-miles away from its native home.

Evie Hill was exploring near the River Ogmore in Bridgend when she came across a Mexican axolotl, a species with fewer than 1,000 individuals left in the wild.

The remarkable discovery under a bridge left her mother, Melanie, experiencing "shock, surprise and disbelief".

Rather than returning from their riverside outing with the usual muddy footwear or collected pebbles, Evie brought home an exceptionally rare creature that would capture the attention of wildlife experts across the country.

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Since releasing or abandoning non-native species in Britain is illegal, the Hill family decided to bring the amphibian back to their home in Leicester.

The family cut their Welsh holiday short and dedicated considerable time to investigating how to properly care for their unexpected find.

They reported the discovery to the relevant authorities and expressed having "no regrets" about ending their trip early.

Evie has given the creature the name Dippy, and it has proved extremely popular with her classmates.

She said: "Everybody at school is fascinated by the story of Dippy. I think it's really interesting."

Wildlife specialists note these amphibians typically grow to approximately nine inches, though some can reach a foot in length.

Chris Newman, director of the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, believes the young girl's intervention was crucial for the animal's survival.

He told The Times: "This is the first time one has been documented in the UK, and it would not have lived very long if Evie hadn't seen it."

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Newman explained that predators would have quickly made a meal of the vulnerable creature, noting it already bore evidence of previous attacks.

He added: "Predatory animals would have had it for lunch and it already had bite marks on its back."

Globally, an estimated one million axolotls are kept in captivity, whether as household pets, in aquariums, or within research laboratories.

The creatures have experienced a significant rise in popularity as pets following their appearances in popular video games such as Minecraft and Roblox.

However, the RSPCA has cautioned that many owners fail to appreciate the challenges involved in caring for these amphibians.

Dr Ros Clubb, from the animal welfare charity, expressed concern about the growing trend.

She said: "There are a lot of young axolotls, and their eggs, being advertised for sale online so we do fear that they are becoming more popular amongst children.

"They are not easy pets to keep and buying any animal should never be an impulse buy."

The charity's warning comes as online marketplaces continue to offer the animals to prospective buyers across the country.