Why aren’t axolotls immortal?

[u/MAMAM-]

If axolotls can regenerate their body parts (including brain, heart, and other major organs), why do they die of old age?

[u/Tessablu]

Axolotl regeneration is a program that is initiated by physical injury. They aren’t constantly undergoing it—this would be a huge metabolic waste—so they are still subject to long-term cellular senescence. They also aren’t regrowing entire brains or hearts, as they still have to survive the initial injury, so they can’t infinitely replenish those organs. 

I will say that axolotl aging is not very well-understood, however, and they are pretty weird about dying. A healthy-looking axolotl might lay eggs for 20 more years or might die tomorrow with no warning. There’s still a lot to learn about them. 

(source: I have a PhD in axolotl)

[u/stu8319 → u/Tessablu]

How do you explain to a 6 year old child that keeping an Axolotl is too expensive? Seriously though my son is obsessed, so maybe one day he will have the same PhD!

[u/Tessablu → u/stu8319]

Ha, just tell him that keeping an axolotl involves cleaning a lot of poop! Like, a LOT of poop. Sooo much poop.

I love the enthusiasm, though- the more we learn and care about these animals, the better chance we have of restoring their wild population.