Axolotls in the wild, discussion on habitat and morphing

[keithp]

I was watching a special on Axolotls showing the only place they are found in the wild. The water basically is polluted now and filled with muck and invasive fish, the axolotls are very rare and endangered.

Did they ever think to introduce them into another area of the World similar to the "lake" in Mexico, to try and get a healthy population of them that arent in danger of pollution? I mean who cares if it's not in that 1 lake, if you can find an alternate area for them to survive in the wild, and it wont affect the natural balance, I would try to introduce them somewhere where the climate and habitat is the same. I dont think that lake is going to get any better, and once that happens, there will be no wild axolots left. Some new place has to be found for them to live.

I was also thinking, could their natural habitat be affecting if they metamorph or not by themselves? If they lived in a pristine habitat with lots of land surrounding the water, you think the population might have more land dwelling adults? If they lived in areas with shallows streams then they most likely would morph in the warm weather when heavy rains come, so they can migrate onto land.

 

[XeryusTC]

What you're suggesting here is one of the reasons why axolotls are endangered: introducing species to ecosystems that they don't belong in. The introduction of axolotls in similar lakes in other countries than Mexico might as well upset the natural balance there too and endanger some other creature

 

[Azhael]

Similar lakes around Mexico are inhabited by other Ambystoma species..introducing axolotls would possibly destroy both. It does matter a lot where they survive. They evolved and specialized to live in that particular lake with those particular characeristics. If you move them, you change them....you only have to look at captive axolotls which are but a pale reflection of the wild ones...

Their sitution in the wild is terrible but it won´t be mended by making new mistakes.

 

[Kaysie]

Axolotls have basically lost the ability to morph into land dwelling creatures. This is because, historically, their habitat in the water was perfectly adequate and there was no need to morph. So they lost the ability. Now that their habitat has been impacted, they no longer have the ability, and are more susceptible to predation and water pollution because they have no means to escape.

But I'm with Xeryus on this one. Your proposal is just not scientifically sound. Axolotls are, historically, before fish were introduced, one of the top predators in their lake. If you take them and put them in a lake which lacks large predators, they'll gorge themselves on native wildlife, and completely decimate populations within that lake.