From TikTok to McDonald’s Happy Meals, Mexico’s ancient axolotl is everywhere, except where it is supposed to be—in the wild.

Axolotls are a type of salamander native to Mexico. In recent years, they have risen to popularity due to their inclusion in ...

An interview with Laura Muzinic, MSc, Associate Director of the Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center Since 1969, the National Science Foundation has continuously funded the AGSC, formerly known as the ...

MEXICO CITY — Legend has it the axolotl was not always an amphibian. Long before it became Mexico’s most beloved salamander and efforts to prevent its extinction flourished, it was a sneaky god.

The story begins with the Aztec God of death and lightning, the Xolotl. As legends have it, he was a monstrous dog that guarded the sun god and ushered souls to the underworld every night.

Meet the axolotl, Mexico City’s endangered, smiling salamander. In the southern part of Mexico City lies Xochimilco, a maze of canals filled with boats, music, food and tourists. It’s also one ...