Adopt an axolotl Campaign

Adopt an axolotl Campaign

News: 'Adopt an axolotl' campaign launches in Mexico to save iconic species from pollution and trout.

About:
• The Adopt an axolotl campaign is a fundraising initiative launched by ecologists from Mexico’s National Autonomous University to support the conservation of the axolotls, an iconic and endangered fish-like type of salamander.
• The campaign allows people to virtually adopt an axolotl by donating as little as 600 pesos (about $35) and receive live updates on their health. Alternatively, donors can buy a virtual dinner for an axolotl for a smaller amount.

About Axoltls:
• The axolotls are considered a cultural icon in Mexico and have unique abilities to regrow limbs and heal wounds.
• The species is found only in Lake Xochimilco, within Mexico City, where it is classified as a critically endangered species.
• The name axolotl is also applied to any full-grown larva of Ambystomatigrinum (tiger salamander) that has not yet lost its external gills.
• However, their population has declined drastically in the wild, and almost all 18 species of axolotl in Mexico are critically endangered.
• Threat - Axolotl populations have declined considerably due to a combination of habitat loss (largely driven by Mexico City’s continued urbanization), water pollution, and invasive species (such as carp and tilapia, which compete with axolotls for food and prey upon them).