MEXICO CITY (AP) — Legend has it the axolotl was not always an amphibian. Long before it became Mexico’s most beloved salamander and efforts to prevent its extinction flourished, it was a ...

From TikTok to McDonald’s Happy Meals, Mexico’s ancient axolotl is everywhere, except where it is supposed to be—in the wild.

In pre-Hispanic times, the axolotl was considered sacred fauna represented in the Borgia Codex. The Ambystoma mexicanum is ...

Legend has it that, long before the axolotl became Mexico's most beloved salamander, it was a sneaky god. "It's an interesting little animal," said Yanet Cruz, head of the Chinampaxóchitl Museum ...

appearing as characters in Minecraft, Fortnite and Pokémon and inspiring a McDonald’s Happy Meal toy. Where the axolotl can barely be found: in its natural habitat in Mexico.

The horror has reignited fury over Mexico’s epidemic of disappearances—and the government’s inaction. “Mexico is a mass grave,” read one sign at a vigil. Disappearances became common ...