How Axolotls Breathe Underwater Using Their External Gills - Simple Explanation for 7-Year-Olds

Hi there! Let’s learn about axolotls and how they breathe underwater. Axolotls are special water creatures that live in lakes and ponds.

Unlike humans, who breathe air with their noses and mouths, axolotls breathe with parts called external gills. These gills look like little feathery branches sticking out from the sides of their heads.

Here’s how it works step by step:

1. The axolotl takes water into its mouth.
2. The water flows over its gills.
3. The gills have tiny blood vessels that take oxygen out of the water.
4. The oxygen goes into the axolotl’s blood, just like how we get oxygen from the air.
5. Then, the axolotl pushes the water out through openings on the side of its head.

Because the gills are outside its body, it can get oxygen easily from the water around it. These external gills look soft and feathery, helping them catch oxygen like a sponge so the axolotl can swim and live underwater!