Spanish police seize 29 illegally traded Mexican axolotls in Granada

Spanish National Police have seized 29 Mexican axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) in Granada, Spain, during an operation targeting the illegal sale of protected species. Authorities are investigating a Mexican national suspected of involvement in the unauthorized commercialization of the animals.

The axolotl is a critically endangered amphibian endemic to the Xochimilco canal system in Mexico City. Due to its conservation status, international trade is strictly regulated under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). During the inspection, the individual in possession of the animals failed to provide the necessary legal documentation to prove their origin or required commercial permits.

The 29 specimens have been transferred to the Zoobotanical Conservation Center in Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz. There, they will remain under specialized veterinary supervision to ensure their specific biological needs regarding water quality, temperature, and nutrition are met while the investigation continues.