Mexican Experts Spot Endangered 'Water Monster' Teresa De Miguel - The Associated Press
go to original February 24, 2014

Axolotl swimming and eating worms (Jesse Bailey)

MEXICO CITY – Mexico’s salamander-like axolotl apparently hasn’t disappeared from its only known natural habitat in Mexico City’s few remaining lakes.

Researchers say they have sighted, but not caught, two of the slippery little creatures during a second effort to find them.

A weekslong effort last year by researchers in skiffs trying to net axolotls in the shallow, muddy waters of Xochimilco lake found none, raising fears that they might only now survive in captivity.

But biologist Armando Tovar Garza of Mexico’s National Autonomous University said Friday that members of the team carrying out the search had seen two axolotls during the first three weeks of a second survey expected to conclude in April.

“We weren’t able to capture them … because the behaviour of the axolotl makes them very difficult to capture,” Tovar Garza said. “We haven’t had any captures, but we have had two sightings. That’s important, because it tells us we still have a chance.”

Read the rest at Metro

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!