Researchers search for DNA of a threatened salamander in Mexico City's canals

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ABC NewsLiveVideoShowsShopInterest Successfully AddedWe'll notify you here with news aboutTurn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? OffOnStream onScientists search for DNA of an endangered salamander in Mexico City’s canalsScientists from a university are filtering Mexico City's waters for traces of the DNA of an endangered salamander, the axolotlByMARÍA VERZA Associated PressAugust 11, 2025, 7:09 PM1:24FILE - An axolotl swims in an aquarium at a museum at the Xochimilco Ecological Park, in Mexico City, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)The Associated PressMEXICO CITY -- Sixty years ago, residents of a canal-crossed borough in Mexico City could pluck axolotls — the large salamander reminiscent of a tiny dragon — out of the water with their hands because they were so plentiful. Now it’s almost impossible to find them in the wild.That's why scientists from Mexico’s National Autonomous University are filtering Xochimilco’s murky waters for traces of the endangered creature’s DNA.“We all shed DNA along our path across the world and that can be captured by filtering air or water,” said biologist Luis Zambrano, from the university's ecological restoration lab.As they try to monitor the axolotls’ dwindling numbers, scientists increasingly rely on this technique as their nets come back empty during periodic surveys of the population, which is only found in Xochimilco.They sample water taken from the canals and filter it for environmental DNA, or the genetic particles left by animals and plants that have contact with the water. That’s then compared to the profiles contained in a genetic library put together some years ago by British scientists, said Esther Quintero of Conservation International in Mexico, which has collaborated with Zambrano since 2023.Scientists collected water from 53 locations in Xochimilco: 10 inside refuges where water is filtered and the water is cleaner and 43 outside those areas. They found axolotl DNA inside the protected areas and in one site outside them.Referring to the one unprotected area, Zambrano said “it’s very little,” but a sign that there is the possibility of resilience, even with continuing environmental degradation and pollution of the canals.So far, the researchers have only searched a third of Xochimilco with the environmental DNA technique and the manual work with nets, but they plan to continue the work and hopefully present an updated census early next year.The trend, however, is not good. From an estimated 6,000 axolotls per square kilometer in 1998, there were only 36 per square kilometer in the last census, in 2014.Popular ReadsSupreme Court formally asked to overturn landmark same-sex marriage rulingAug 11, 4:59 AMTrump admin updates: Possible activation of National Guard in DCAug 10, 10:50 PMMom brought kids to safety before she and husband stabbed to death on trail: PoliceJul 31, 4:21 PMZambrano highlights that his team’s work has shown that conservation works and that the effort to protect the species is also improving water quality, increasing the number of pollinizers in the area and means that Mexico City makes better use of Xochimilco’s water, among other benefits.But policymakers can do more, he said, such as prohibiting the opening of dance clubs, spas and soccer fields on Xochimilco’s traditional man-made islands, known as chinampas. Instead, the government should incentivize the islands’ traditional agricultural production, ensuring that farmers can actually make a living at it.If its habitat is fixed, the axolotl can take care of the rest.“The axolotl reproduces a lot because it lays a lot of eggs … it can easily recover and we know how,” Zambrano said.___Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-americaRelated TopicsAnimalsSponsored Content by TaboolaPopular ReadsTrump admin updates: Possible activation of National Guard in DCAug 10, 10:50 PMMom brought kids to safety before she and husband stabbed to death on trail: PoliceJul 31, 4:21 PMSupreme Court formally asked to overturn landmark same-sex marriage rulingAug 11, 4:59 AMSuspected gunman in shooting near CDC headquarters identifiedAug 9, 7:40 PMABC News Live24/7 coverage of breaking news and live eventsABC News NetworkPrivacy PolicyYour US State Privacy RightsChildren's Online Privacy PolicyInterest-Based AdsAbout Nielsen MeasurementTerms of UseDo Not Sell or Share My Personal InformationContact Us © 2025 ABC News

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Scientists search for DNA of an endangered salamander in Mexico City’s canalsScientists from a university are filtering Mexico City's waters for traces of the DNA of an endangered salamander, the axolotlByMARÍA VERZA Associated PressAugust 11, 2025, 7:09 PM1:24FILE - An axolotl swims in an aquarium at a museum at the Xochimilco Ecological Park, in Mexico City, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)The Associated PressMEXICO CITY -- Sixty years ago, residents of a canal-crossed borough in Mexico City could pluck axolotls — the large salamander reminiscent of a tiny dragon — out of the water with their hands because they were so plentiful. Now it’s almost impossible to find them in the wild.That's why scientists from Mexico’s National Autonomous University are filtering Xochimilco’s murky waters for traces of the endangered creature’s DNA.“We all shed DNA along our path across the world and that can be captured by filtering air or water,” said biologist Luis Zambrano, from the university's ecological restoration lab.As they try to monitor the axolotls’ dwindling numbers, scientists increasingly rely on this technique as their nets come back empty during periodic surveys of the population, which is only found in Xochimilco.They sample water taken from the canals and filter it for environmental DNA, or the genetic particles left by animals and plants that have contact with the water. That’s then compared to the profiles contained in a genetic library put together some years ago by British scientists, said Esther Quintero of Conservation International in Mexico, which has collaborated with Zambrano since 2023.Scientists collected water from 53 locations in Xochimilco: 10 inside refuges where water is filtered and the water is cleaner and 43 outside those areas. They found axolotl DNA inside the protected areas and in one site outside them.Referring to the one unprotected area, Zambrano said “it’s very little,” but a sign that there is the possibility of resilience, even with continuing environmental degradation and pollution of the canals.So far, the researchers have only searched a third of Xochimilco with the environmental DNA technique and the manual work with nets, but they plan to continue the work and hopefully present an updated census early next year.The trend, however, is not good. From an estimated 6,000 axolotls per square kilometer in 1998, there were only 36 per square kilometer in the last census, in 2014.Popular ReadsSupreme Court formally asked to overturn landmark same-sex marriage rulingAug 11, 4:59 AMTrump admin updates: Possible activation of National Guard in DCAug 10, 10:50 PMMom brought kids to safety before she and husband stabbed to death on trail: PoliceJul 31, 4:21 PMZambrano highlights that his team’s work has shown that conservation works and that the effort to protect the species is also improving water quality, increasing the number of pollinizers in the area and means that Mexico City makes better use of Xochimilco’s water, among other benefits.But policymakers can do more, he said, such as prohibiting the opening of dance clubs, spas and soccer fields on Xochimilco’s traditional man-made islands, known as chinampas. Instead, the government should incentivize the islands’ traditional agricultural production, ensuring that farmers can actually make a living at it.If its habitat is fixed, the axolotl can take care of the rest.“The axolotl reproduces a lot because it lays a lot of eggs … it can easily recover and we know how,” Zambrano said.___Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-americaRelated TopicsAnimalsSponsored Content by TaboolaPopular ReadsTrump admin updates: Possible activation of National Guard in DCAug 10, 10:50 PMMom brought kids to safety before she and husband stabbed to death on trail: PoliceJul 31, 4:21 PMSupreme Court formally asked to overturn landmark same-sex marriage rulingAug 11, 4:59 AMSuspected gunman in shooting near CDC headquarters identifiedAug 9, 7:40 PMABC News Live24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

Scientists from a university are filtering Mexico City's waters for traces of the DNA of an endangered salamander, the axolotl

ByMARÍA VERZA Associated PressAugust 11, 2025, 7:09 PM

1:24FILE - An axolotl swims in an aquarium at a museum at the Xochimilco Ecological Park, in Mexico City, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)The Associated Press

FILE - An axolotl swims in an aquarium at a museum at the Xochimilco Ecological Park, in Mexico City, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)The Associated Press

FILE - An axolotl swims in an aquarium at a museum at the Xochimilco Ecological Park, in Mexico City, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

MEXICO CITY -- Sixty years ago, residents of a canal-crossed borough in Mexico City could pluck axolotls — the large salamander reminiscent of a tiny dragon — out of the water with their hands because they were so plentiful. Now it’s almost impossible to find them in the wild.That's why scientists from Mexico’s National Autonomous University are filtering Xochimilco’s murky waters for traces of the endangered creature’s DNA.“We all shed DNA along our path across the world and that can be captured by filtering air or water,” said biologist Luis Zambrano, from the university's ecological restoration lab.As they try to monitor the axolotls’ dwindling numbers, scientists increasingly rely on this technique as their nets come back empty during periodic surveys of the population, which is only found in Xochimilco.They sample water taken from the canals and filter it for environmental DNA, or the genetic particles left by animals and plants that have contact with the water. That’s then compared to the profiles contained in a genetic library put together some years ago by British scientists, said Esther Quintero of Conservation International in Mexico, which has collaborated with Zambrano since 2023.Scientists collected water from 53 locations in Xochimilco: 10 inside refuges where water is filtered and the water is cleaner and 43 outside those areas. They found axolotl DNA inside the protected areas and in one site outside them.Referring to the one unprotected area, Zambrano said “it’s very little,” but a sign that there is the possibility of resilience, even with continuing environmental degradation and pollution of the canals.So far, the researchers have only searched a third of Xochimilco with the environmental DNA technique and the manual work with nets, but they plan to continue the work and hopefully present an updated census early next year.The trend, however, is not good. From an estimated 6,000 axolotls per square kilometer in 1998, there were only 36 per square kilometer in the last census, in 2014.Popular ReadsSupreme Court formally asked to overturn landmark same-sex marriage rulingAug 11, 4:59 AMTrump admin updates: Possible activation of National Guard in DCAug 10, 10:50 PMMom brought kids to safety before she and husband stabbed to death on trail: PoliceJul 31, 4:21 PMZambrano highlights that his team’s work has shown that conservation works and that the effort to protect the species is also improving water quality, increasing the number of pollinizers in the area and means that Mexico City makes better use of Xochimilco’s water, among other benefits.But policymakers can do more, he said, such as prohibiting the opening of dance clubs, spas and soccer fields on Xochimilco’s traditional man-made islands, known as chinampas. Instead, the government should incentivize the islands’ traditional agricultural production, ensuring that farmers can actually make a living at it.If its habitat is fixed, the axolotl can take care of the rest.“The axolotl reproduces a lot because it lays a lot of eggs … it can easily recover and we know how,” Zambrano said.___Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

That's why scientists from Mexico’s National Autonomous University are filtering Xochimilco’s murky waters for traces of the endangered creature’s DNA.

“We all shed DNA along our path across the world and that can be captured by filtering air or water,” said biologist Luis Zambrano, from the university's ecological restoration lab.

As they try to monitor the axolotls’ dwindling numbers, scientists increasingly rely on this technique as their nets come back empty during periodic surveys of the population, which is only found in Xochimilco.

They sample water taken from the canals and filter it for environmental DNA, or the genetic particles left by animals and plants that have contact with the water. That’s then compared to the profiles contained in a genetic library put together some years ago by British scientists, said Esther Quintero of Conservation International in Mexico, which has collaborated with Zambrano since 2023.

Scientists collected water from 53 locations in Xochimilco: 10 inside refuges where water is filtered and the water is cleaner and 43 outside those areas. They found axolotl DNA inside the protected areas and in one site outside them.

Referring to the one unprotected area, Zambrano said “it’s very little,” but a sign that there is the possibility of resilience, even with continuing environmental degradation and pollution of the canals.

So far, the researchers have only searched a third of Xochimilco with the environmental DNA technique and the manual work with nets, but they plan to continue the work and hopefully present an updated census early next year.

The trend, however, is not good. From an estimated 6,000 axolotls per square kilometer in 1998, there were only 36 per square kilometer in the last census, in 2014.

Popular ReadsSupreme Court formally asked to overturn landmark same-sex marriage rulingAug 11, 4:59 AMTrump admin updates: Possible activation of National Guard in DCAug 10, 10:50 PMMom brought kids to safety before she and husband stabbed to death on trail: PoliceJul 31, 4:21 PM

Supreme Court formally asked to overturn landmark same-sex marriage rulingAug 11, 4:59 AM

Supreme Court formally asked to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling

Trump admin updates: Possible activation of National Guard in DCAug 10, 10:50 PM

Trump admin updates: Possible activation of National Guard in DC

Mom brought kids to safety before she and husband stabbed to death on trail: PoliceJul 31, 4:21 PM

Mom brought kids to safety before she and husband stabbed to death on trail: Police

Zambrano highlights that his team’s work has shown that conservation works and that the effort to protect the species is also improving water quality, increasing the number of pollinizers in the area and means that Mexico City makes better use of Xochimilco’s water, among other benefits.

But policymakers can do more, he said, such as prohibiting the opening of dance clubs, spas and soccer fields on Xochimilco’s traditional man-made islands, known as chinampas. Instead, the government should incentivize the islands’ traditional agricultural production, ensuring that farmers can actually make a living at it.

If its habitat is fixed, the axolotl can take care of the rest.

“The axolotl reproduces a lot because it lays a lot of eggs … it can easily recover and we know how,” Zambrano said.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Popular ReadsTrump admin updates: Possible activation of National Guard in DCAug 10, 10:50 PMMom brought kids to safety before she and husband stabbed to death on trail: PoliceJul 31, 4:21 PMSupreme Court formally asked to overturn landmark same-sex marriage rulingAug 11, 4:59 AMSuspected gunman in shooting near CDC headquarters identifiedAug 9, 7:40 PMABC News Live24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

Trump admin updates: Possible activation of National Guard in DCAug 10, 10:50 PM

Trump admin updates: Possible activation of National Guard in DC

Mom brought kids to safety before she and husband stabbed to death on trail: PoliceJul 31, 4:21 PM

Mom brought kids to safety before she and husband stabbed to death on trail: Police

Supreme Court formally asked to overturn landmark same-sex marriage rulingAug 11, 4:59 AM

Supreme Court formally asked to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling

Suspected gunman in shooting near CDC headquarters identifiedAug 9, 7:40 PM

Suspected gunman in shooting near CDC headquarters identified

ABC News Live24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events