Axolotls: On the brink but thriving?

Axolotls: On the brink but thriving?


Do we think it’s okay if wildlife isn’t “wild” anymore? We ask because certain species are thriving in captivity while nearing extinction in the wild.

Take the axolotl [ax-ah-LŎT-ahl], an endearing amphibian with feathery gills. There are nearly 1 million axolotls in captivity but almost none in the wilds of their native Mexico.

For centuries, wild axolotls thrived in canals surrounding Mexican farms where they were used for food and medicine and revered as godlike. But they slowly vanished during the years of colonization and ecosystem degradation. Now, captive axolotls are trendy pets and common subjects in research laboratories.

There’s a movement in Mexico to restore traditional farming methods and rebuild wild axolotl populations. But is there a general will to save them for their own sake — or only because of what they can do for us?

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