Many acres of Lake Pátzcuaro have already been filled with silt washed down from the deforested mountainsides of its watershed. The former island of Jarácuaro is now part of the mainland as the shore marches steadily toward the island of Janitizio, a famous icon in the center of the lake and a major tourist destination.

The lake is also home to a rich variety of wildlife such as resident and migrating birds and aquatic animals, including a critically endangered species on the IUCN Red list – Ambystoma dumerilii, locally known as Achoque or the Lake Pátzcuaro Salamander. This species is known only from Lake Pátzcuaro.

Ambystoma dumerilii lives its entire life underwater and retains the morphology of a larvae through sexual maturity. It is probably active during the day, but moves into shallower waters at night to feed on snails, crayfish and other aquatic invertebrates.

The filling and pollution of the only lake the species inhabits is the predominant threat to its survival. Lake Pátzcuaro is an important area for local fisheries. Predatory fish have been introduced into the lake, which may be a major problem for the Lake Pátzcuaro salamander, although it has been able to co-exist with such species for a long time. Lake Pátzcuaro salamanders are also harvested both for human consumption and for medicinal purposes (they are supposed to be effective in addressing respiratory problems).

The salamander is listed as critically endangered in the IUCN red list and in Appendix II CITES. Conservation of remaining suitable habitat is needed to prevent its extinction in the wild. Reforesting the slopes of the watershed for this lake is urgently needed, and must be part of any recovery plan for this species. Forests for Monarchs (LCHPP) began restoring forest to this watershed in 2008.

For more information go to http://www.edgeofexistence.org/amphibians/species_info.php?id=556