Save the Axolotls!

The "axolotl" serves as a symbol of Mexican national identity and is adored around the world as a pet. Not only do they make their owner's happy, but their regenerative properties make them a valuable asset to scientific research. Their unique genetic profile and their potential to unlock the secrets of evolution and regeneration, and even cure cancer. But few realize that, in nature, the axolotl is in peril. It is native only to Lake Xochimilco, a UNESCO World Heritage site outside Mexico City, where it has long played a role in Mexican tradition. And there, it is on the brink of extinction. In 2006, the species was declared critically endangered due to habitat degradation and the pervasiveness of invasive fish in the lake, introduced decades ago in a well-intentioned attempt to create fisheries and alleviate food insecurity. In 2009, experts estimated that the axolotl population had fallen 90 percent in the past four years, a decline further exacerbated by urbanization. In 2015, scientists briefly believed that the critter might have gone fully extinct in the wild—only to find one a few weeks later. Sign this petition to encourage Mexico to work to protect their native axolotls!