Are axolotls being saved?
Traditional Mexican farmers and scientists have teamed up to save the endangered axolotl in Mexico City. WATCH: This unique salamander in Mexico is now fighting against extinction. The bizarre and adorable aquatic salamander called the axolotl has been enticing collectors and scientists for centuries.
What would happen if axolotls went extinct?
If the Axolotl where to die out, these animals would become endangered due to starvation for not having as much to eat. As for the Mexican Axolotls’ prey, which are mollusks, crustaceans, worms, and insects, they would overpopulate from the axolotl not being able to eat them.
Is there hope for axolotls?
Since the 1960s, the axolotl has been studied in hopes of understanding its regenerative powers and applying them to other organisms—perhaps even humans. The axolotl is, in essence, the closest thing in nature to a fountain of youth. In the past two decades, the wild population of the axolotl has fallen sixtyfold.
Why should we protect axolotl?
One of the many reasons we should protect the axolotl is its ability to regrow limbs. But the problem is that more than eight million residents of Mexico City live on top of the axolotl’s natural habitat – a network of lakes under the city. With the city’s expansion, the axolotl’s habitat has shrunk.
How many axolotls left 2020?
Axolotls remain a common, and popular pet, but wild axolotls are listed as critically endangered with an estimated 1000 individuals or fewer left in the wild. As amphibians, they are especially susceptible to pollution and are reliant on water for survival and reproduction.
How are axolotls being saved?
The conservation program, operated by Dr. Zambrano of Mexico’s National Autonomous University, includes filters on the canals to prevent predatory fish from invading axolotl habitat. In efforts to boost the native population, lab-bred salamanders are frequently released into the protected agricultural canals.
Do axolotls like being petted?
Axolotls are delicate animals that don’t like to be touched too often. They can be touched, but you should do so with a few things in mind. The first thing is to wash your hands before you touch them, and to touch them gently. You should not be forceful – instead, offer them your hand and let them touch it first.
