The Vivaling English Podcast

Most people love animals like cats, dogs, or tigers—but this episode is about a creature you’ve probably never heard of. It’s small, strange, lives in water, and always looks like it’s smiling. Can you guess what it is?

Listen now to explore this wild animal mystery, enjoy fun facts and quiz questions, and keep learning with VivaLing! 🌊🦎🎧

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Creators and Guests

TA
Guest
Tom Ashton

What is The Vivaling English Podcast?

This podcast is designed to give English students extra practice by discussing events, history, culture and language.

Animals are awesome! Most people have a favorite animal. Common favorite animals are dogs, cats, rabbits and even tigers or penguins, and we know a lot about these animals. So, today I want to talk about a strange animal that not many people know about. It’s a smiling water creature. Do you know what it is? It’s called the axolotl.

The axolotl is a wild animal, but it is not scary. It is small and cute!
It lives in water and comes from Mexico. The axolotl can grow to about 20 or 30 centimeters long. That is like the size of a pencil.
In the wild, they live about 5 or 6 years, but some people have axolotls as pets. As a pet, it can live 10 or 15 years.
This animal looks very different. It has a big head, little legs and a long tail.
But the most special thing? The axolotl has pink feathery gills on its head!
Gills are the body part that helps animal breathe under the water.
The axolotl is also called the “smiling salamander.” Why?
Because its face always looks happy! It looks like it is smiling all the time.
And here is something amazing: If the axolotl loses a leg, it can grow a new one! Yes! It can grow back parts of its body. That is like magic!
Axolotls are carnivores. That means they eat meat. They eat things like insects, worms and really small fish.
But the axolotl is in danger. There are not many axolotls left in the wild.
People are trying to help them live and grow again.

Comprehension Questions:
What special body part does the axolotl have on its head?
If you said said gills, well done.
What can the axolotl do if it loses a leg?
Of course! It can grow a new one!
Do axololts eat plants?
They do not. They eat meat, like insects, worms and fish.
So, now you know! The axolotl is a small, smiling animal that lives in water,
has pink gills, eats meat and can grow new body parts. Very strange—and very cool!

Your homework. Search the internet for a picture of an axolotl and draw a picture of it for your family or VivaLing coach. Show on the picture where the axolotls’ gills are.

Thanks for listening!!