Mexico makes a miracle about resurrecting an extinct endemic fish species

The tequila fish, scientifically known as zoogoneticus tequila, is an animal endemic to the western Mexican state of Jalisco, home to world-famous tequila. In 2003, this fish was considered extinct in the wild, but efforts by scientists and local people have helped bring the animal back into the wild.

Scientists have helped bring the tequila fish back into the wild.

According to a reporter in Mexico, returning extinct animals to the wild is a complicated, expensive and time-consuming process, but recently the British Chester Zoo said it had succeeded. in an effort to repopulate tequila fish populations. The zoo's statement said the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had recognized the work as a case study of successful reproduction. For their part, scientists from the University of San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH) in the state of Michoacan and the Chester Zoo, who were directly involved in this 'rescue mission', said it was the first attempt. in Latin America with the aim of reviving populations of a germicidal fish species.

The story begins more than two decades ago in Teuchitlán, a small village near the Tequila volcano in the state of Jalisco. A group of students, including Omar Domínguez, began to worry about the risk of tequila disappearing from the Teuchitlán River, where only these small fish live, due to pollution, human activity and other habitats. alien species. In 1998, a group of Chester Zoo conservationists traveled to Mexico to help set up a laboratory for the conservation of native fish species, bringing with them several dozen pairs of surviving tequila pairs in an artificial environment thanks to the help of scientists. collect.

Since 2014, scientists from UMSNH have worked hard to breed 40 original pairs of fish up to 10,000 individuals. In 2017, they began experimenting with bringing tequila back to the Teuchitlán River, taking the huge risk that farmed fish might not survive in the wild. After a lot of testing, with the support of Chester Zoo and a number of international organizations, scientists have found a way to simulate the natural habitat of tequila fish, thereby helping individuals of the species. This fish is raised in an artificial tank, getting used to real conditions before being released into the river. After just 6 months, 55% of the tequila were born in the wild and by the end of 2021, the fish had replicated itself to another area of ​​​​the river.

According to Domínguez, a UMSNH researcher, living conditions on the Teuchitlán River have improved since the start of the project, as evidenced by clearer river water, fewer exotic species and less access to livestock. several locations on the river. It is the result of the tireless efforts of scientists to raise people's awareness of the biological value as well as the medical benefits of tequila fish, the "natural enemy" of the mosquitoes that transmit fever. hemorrhage.

The tequila is currently on the IUCN's list of endangered species. According to a 2020 report by IUCN and the US organization ABQ BioPark, more than a third of the 536 freshwater fish species in Mexico are at risk.