Mexico City Highlights Conservation Efforts for Axolotls

On the National Day of the Mexican Axolotl, celebrated on Feb. 1, 2024, Mexico City’s Ministry for the Environment (SEDEMA) shed light on ongoing efforts to preserve this endangered species through the Amphibian Axolotl Museum and Amphibian Conservation Center.

According to the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) and the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC), axolotls native to Mexico face severe extinction threats, as highlighted by the NOM-059 regulation of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT). 

In this context, Amphibian Conservation Centers in Mexico City, including Chapultepec, San Juan de Aragon, and Los Coyotes, spearhead various initiatives to support the conservation of these creatures. These include the newly established 'Amphibian Axolotl Museum and Amphibian Conservation Center' at Chapultepec Wildlife Conservation Center, created a year ago as part of the 100th-anniversary celebrations of the Chapultepec Zoo.

The Center has become a hub for scientific research, collaboration, education, and conservation activities related to axolotls and their habitats. It houses approximately 100 specimens of the Xochimilco axolotl and 17 other Mexican species, such as the Zacapu axolotl, Patzcuaro axolotl, and Toluca salamander.

Visitors to the center can explore outdoor wetlands replicating the Xochimilco axolotl's natural habitat, interactive ponds, demonstrative aquariums, and educational exhibits specifically tailored for children and young people. The museum also serves as a vital educational space, having welcomed nearly half a million visitors since its opening in January 2023.

The conservation efforts are crucial, given the perilous state of axolotls, outlined in the SEMARNAT NOM-059 report, attributing their endangered status to habitat loss, invasive species, overexploitation of water bodies, and pollution. Since 2019, SEDEMA has implemented various strategies to promote the conservation and protection of axolotl populations.

The ministry urges citizens to actively participate in axolotl preservation, emphasizing the species' pivotal role in maintaining ecological balance and the health of Mexico City's wetlands and chinampas. Over 130 vertebrate species in the city's wetlands depend on the conservation of the Xochimilco axolotl and its ecosystem for their survival. The commitment to ensuring a healthy environment is reiterated by SEDEMA, inviting residents to join hands in safeguarding the Xochimilco axolotl and the other 16 Mexican axolotl species.