bioGraphic, Katie Garrett

Axolotls — iconic salamanders exclusively found in Mexico City’s Xochimilco lake complex — have long been treasured, from ancient Aztecs to modern scientists. However, the species is now critically endangered in the wild, driven by habitat destruction, pollution, and the introduction of non-native predatory fish. Join Luis Zambrano and Cristina Barros from the National Autonomous University of Mexico to see how Mexico City’s biologists, anthropologists, and traditional farmers are responding to this crisis, working to restore the habitat that is necessary not just for axolotls to survive in the wild, but also for the region’s human populations to thrive.