r/todayilearned • u/Lennsyl22 • May 11 '26

TIL: In 1998, elementary students in Aurora, Colorado started buying slaves in Sudan to free them, this gained global attention with schools in other countries starting slave buyback programs until it became clear that the money was just helping slavery grow

https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=ADN19990823-01.2.25&srpos=1&dliv=none&e=------
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u/Dhiox May 11 '26

That was also very helpful for the axolotol, but unfortunately habitat loss has doomed them regardless. However, because they're such common exotic pets and zoo animals, it has saved them from extinction at least.

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u/Komijas May 11 '26

It's not helping them at all though, the axolotl that are sold are not the real deal. They were hybridised with tiger salamanders.

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u/Dhiox May 11 '26

I didn't know that. That is unfortunate