'Water monster' is about to disappear

Beneath the remains of a giant lake from the Aztec civilization is home to a special animal. With a viscous tail, furry bears and weird smiles on their tight, tight mouths, their outward appearance can cause many people to sting.

The axolotl, also known as the ' water monster ' and ' Mexican walking fish ' is an animal found only in some lakes in Mexico City. In the past, they had a very important role in the diet and legend of the Aztecs (the people who built a splendid civilization stretching across central and southern Mexico in the 15th and 16th centuries).

Despite the adverse living conditions, axolotl remains in the capital of Mexico. They struggled in black channels leading to Lake Xochimilco (located in the Mexican suburbs). Xochimilco is a favorite destination for foreign tourists who want to see the city on flat-bottomed boats.

Axolotl has furry shapes.(Photo: Axolotls.com)

Thunder axolotl is one of the very few animals that can spend most of their lives in larvae, even in the maturation and reproduction stages. They live their whole lives underwater and have two ways to breathe: by gills or by mouth (sniffing bubbles in the water). Axolotl larvae transform into adults by gill atoms. The development of the lungs and by a series of changes of the body helps them to leave the water environment. This phenomenon is very rare in natural conditions.

But scientists are racing against time to help 'water monsters' avoid extinction due to pollution and water levels decline. In addition, many species of strange fish were also released into the lake, which caused their food resources to decline and the lives of the offspring were threatened.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has put axolotl on the list of endangered animals, and experts warn it could disappear in five years. Many people want to destroy fish that are harmful to " water monsters " in canals, while others think of restoring their numbers in captivity.

' If axolotl disappears, it will not only be a loss to ecological diversity, but also a great loss to Mexican culture ,' said Luis Zambrano, a biologist at the Autonomous University of Mexico. stated.

Meanwhile, axolotl thugs are proliferating in laboratories, where its strange properties are saved, such as the ability to regenerate lost limbs (including the heart). Axolotl plays an important role in studies of tissue regeneration, embryo, conception and evolution.

Axolotl has both fins and legs.(Photo: Wikipedia.com)

The number of " water monsters " in nature is still a secret to the scientific world. But according to some surveys that Luis and his colleagues have done, they have decreased from about 940 individuals / square kilometer in 1998 to approximately 15 individuals / square kilometer in 2008. That is a decline at a reported level. dynamic.

Millions of axolotls once dominated large lakes in Xochimilco and Chalco. With four short and fat legs to move the bottom of the lake and a thick tail to swim like crocodiles, they hunt underwater insects, small fish and crustaceans (shrimp, crabs) to eat.

Axolotl decline began when the Spanish invaded Mexico and destroyed the civilization of the Aztecs in the early 16th century . In order to serve the colonial exploitation, they drained the lakes. Over time, they continue to dry up as they serve the needs of cities that are growing as fast as mushrooms growing after rain. In the 1970s, Chalco Lake was completely drained to prevent flooding. By the 1980s, Mexico City began pumping waste water into canals and breaking the old Xochimilco lake.

According to legend, Xolotl - the god of human body, the head of a dog, death, thunder and monsters in the beliefs of the Aztecs - always fear being chased away or killed by other gods.Therefore, he turned into a ' water monster ' and jumped into the lake Xochimilco.

About 20 years ago, people released tilapia, a fish native to Africa, into Lake Xochimilco to feed aquatic animals. Along with Asian carp, tilapia dominates the ecosystem and eats axolotl eggs and competes for food sources with adults. The existence of axolotl is also threatened by agricultural chemicals from nearby fields and a wastewater treatment plant.

Until now, scientists still disagree about how to save axolotl. Luis suggested installing screens in 15 canals leading to Xochimilco Lake and destroying animals from elsewhere. Without carp, canal water will be clean and beneficial plants will grow again. However, many people disagree with his solution. They argue that local people do not want to destroy tilapia and carp, because it is a source of life for many households. They also object to the prohibition on the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in fields near lakes.

While the debate continues, the extinction time of axolotl is getting closer. Many scientists believe that, due to the immense role of ' water monsters ' for scientific research, humans must find ways to save them.