Mexican water monster scaring scientists: 06-11-2008
Travellers in Mexico City may wish to take a Mexican gondola ride on the canals of Lake Xochimilco, being poled gently along by a trajinero, but spare a thought for the monster that lives under the water.
The axolotl, known as the water monster, was once a part of Aztec legend and diet, according to Associated Press.
Despite the Aztecs' disappearance, the foot-long salamanders have survived in the great Aztec lakes for centuries.
But now, the draining of the lake, the introduction of non-native fish and deteriorating water quality are causing scientists to fear for their continued existence.
"If the axolotl disappears, it would not only be a great loss to biodiversity but to Mexican culture, and would reflect the degeneration of a once-great lake system," Autonomous University of Mexico biologist Luis Zambrano told the news provider.
The last ten years has seen a 98 per cent drop in numbers, so tourists lucky enough to spot one should grab a picture while they can.
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