Axolotl

Axolotls originally inhabited a system of interconnected wetlands and lakes in the highlands of Mexico. They were known to inhabit the smaller lakes of Xochimilco and Chalco and are presumed to have inhabited the larger lakes of Texcoco and Zumpango. The desiccation of these lakes, initiated by the Aztecs and accelerated during the 20th century, has led to the destruction of much of the axolotl's natural habitat, an area now largely occupied by Mexico City. Wild axolotls have been driven to near extinction by the introduction of invasive species such as tilapia and carp; with a decreasing population of around 50 to 1,000 adult individuals, the species has been assessed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).