Science Friday Inside The Race To Save Wild Axolotls
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Nov 4, 2025 Join Dr. Luis Zambrano, an ecologist focused on axolotl conservation, and Dr. Alejandro Maeda-Obregón, a molecular ecologist using environmental DNA, as they unveil the urgent plight of wild axolotls in Lake Xochimilco. Discover how their populations plummeted from 1,000 to just 36 per km² in a decade. Learn about innovative eDNA techniques that track these amphibians noninvasively, the creation of aquatic refuges to boost their numbers, and the critical partnership with local farmers for habitat restoration.
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Sharp Population Collapse In The Wild
- Wild axolotl density fell from about 1,000 to 36 animals per km² over a decade, showing a dramatic population collapse.
- Dr. Luis Zambrano warns this steep decline threatens the species' only wild population in Xochimilco.
Xochimilco's Ancient Managed Wetland
- Xochimilco is a human-managed wetland with chinampas and a maze of canals where axolotls persist.
- Dr. Luis Zambrano explains centuries of management created habitat the axolotl depends on.
eDNA Confirms Refuge Success
- eDNA sampling detected axolotl only inside refuges initially, validating refuge effectiveness.
- Subsequent sampling also found a few axolotls in known outside spots, indicating some wild survivors remain.