Axolotl at school: students report on their exciting discoveries!

Axolotl at school: students report on their exciting discoveries!

The Karl Lehr-Realschule in Duisburg is in the spotlight, since two students from 7c, Lars and Kaan are working on a special project. In their large aquarium they watch three Axolotl who have been living at school for several months. These amphibians, known for their remarkable gills and the ability to spend all of life in the water, are not only fascinating animals, but also part of a wide range of topics that covers the school newspaper "Karlchen-Zeitung". For this, the two students will now lead interviews with their classmates of the Environment AG to learn more about these special animals. The Axolotl in her aquarium, Axel, Lottl and Princess, contribute to excitement and joy in learning.

The school newspaper won the renowned award for the best German online school newspaper of secondary schools last year, an award awarded by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin. These successes motivate the editorial team to register for the school newspaper competition again to defend the title. In addition to the Axolotl article, the new edition of the newspaper will also contain a warning to a Tikok challenge and reports on historical topics such as the Battle of Troy. Lahna from the 6c also plans to publish a cheesecake recipe.

axolotl: fascination in the classroom

The Axolotl in the aquarium are particularly remarkable. Moritz, another student, reports that they are three males and a female who live in a 160 liter aquarium. This houses two white and two dark axolotl, and the animals show impressive features that make them an interesting study object. The pink gills of the Axolotl are a typical sign of their kind, which is scientifically classified as * amby stoma Mexicanum * and originally comes from Lake Xochimilco in Mexico. In the wild they have now been declared extinct.

axolotl need cool and not too bright living conditions, and the school's aquarium is in the hallway, well lit, but with a suitable temperature. To ensure the water quality, a pump is used that cleans the water and supplies with oxygen. The care of these animals is a challenge, especially for beginners, since they have special needs and cannot be associated with other fish or amphibians. Lars and Kaan are aware of this responsibility and work meticulously on their Axolotl report, which will soon appear on the homepage of the Karlchen-Zeitung.

insights into breeding and attitude

• axolotl live about 10-15 years
• Minimum pool size: 25 gallons
• Temperature: 55-70 ° f
• Food: preferably worms and insect larvae

The female in her aquarium already laid about 300 eggs on January 18, 2022, and some students could be there live. On the occasion of this egg laying, the school garden group took care of the relocation of the eggs into a small aquarium so that the baby axolotl can grow up protected from eating their parents. Under certain conditions, such as a granted permission from the parents, students may receive baby-axolotl. The prerequisite is a certificate in the homework book on species -appropriate care.

The Karl teaching secondary school shows an impressive commitment to animal husbandry and education. With the pride of the success of your school newspaper and the deep understanding of the needs of Axolotl, Lars, Kaan and her classmates can enjoy a unique learning experience. The competition has a high number of participants with over 700 schools this year, whereby the winners will be announced next Friday.