8 ANIMALS IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION IN PUEBLA AND CAUSES - BIOLOGY - 2025

There are animals in danger of extinction in Puebla such as the Puebla tree frog, the dragon from the south of the Sierra Madre Oriental, the Puebla brown snake and the Altiplano axolotl.

Partly because a large part of Puebla's ecosystems are degraded. Thus, according to official data from CONAFOR, the region has a forest area that covers around 1.6 million hectares. Of this total area, approximately 4.3 percent is deforested.

Dragoncito of the South of the Sierra Madre Oriental. Source: Photo (c) 2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) On the other hand, the National Water Commission indicates that only 22% of surface water bodies are of optimum quality. This environmental situation negatively affects the biodiversity that makes life in the area, causing serious damage to its populations. Thus, many of the species that live there are at risk of extinction.

Endangered species

1- Puebla frog (

This small amphibian lives in the central area of ​​Puebla, southwest of Zapotitlán de las Salinas and north of Oaxaca. In these regions it is distributed in areas at a height of 1,500 meters above sea level.

It is located in streams with scrub vegetation and rocks. This provides the species with a suitable microhabitat for its development and reproduction. During the dry season, the Puebla frog takes refuge in bromeliads, which abound in its natural ecosystem.

The populations of this animal are decreasing. This is mainly due to the disturbance and loss of the environment, product of the development of infrastructures, especially in the tourist area. This situation has caused the IUCN to categorize Exerodonta xera as a species vulnerable to extinction.

Among the conservation actions is the inclusion of the range of the Puebla frog within the zone corresponding to the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley Biosphere Reserve.

2- Puebla tree frog (

The Puebla tree frog is an amphibian that is part of the Hylidae family. It is distributed from the north of Puebla to the northeast of Hidalgo.

In relation to the preferred habitats, they are constituted by rivers and evergreen dry montane forests, which are found from 2,000 to 2,300 meters above sea level. On the other hand, this animal is associated with epiphytic species, such as bromeliads.

Sarcohyla charadricola is threatened with extinction due to deforestation of the mountainous and cloud forests where it lives. The degradation of these habitats causes the drying of streams and other bodies of water, where the Puebla tree frog reproduces.

Another threat that affects the amphibian is chytridiomycosis. This is a disease produced by the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which causes serious damage to the skin of the amphibian, which can cause its death.

3- Sword of Necaxa (

This freshwater fish is sexually dimorphic. The female is approximately 6 centimeters long, while the male is 4 centimeters long.

Regarding the coloration, the male has a base tone that can vary from pale brown to honey yellow. On the body it has 8 to 12 thin vertical bars, black in color.

In relation to the fins, the dorsal and tail are yellow or orange, color that is fading towards the outside. Also, the ridge has darker crescents. On the other hand, the female is pale brown.

Habitat

The Necaxa sword is an endemic species of the Tecolutla river basin, between Puebla and Veracruz and Puebla. Also, it can be located in regions at 1,200 meters above sea level, such as the Cazones River and the Pánuco River. Likewise, this species is restricted to the waterfalls near the town of Necaxa, at 1,220 meters above sea level.

It is a benthopelagic fish, which lives in tropical waters, with temperatures between 22 and 27 ° C. Because they usually inhabit elevated bodies of water, man builds in these, dams and hydroelectric plants. Thus, large artificial reservoirs are created, thus altering access to rivers.

Due to this situation, the IUCN includes Xiphophorus evelynae on the red list of species at risk of extinction. However, this organization indicates that it is necessary to expand the information on the current situation of this species.

4- Poblana frog (

This amphibian belongs to the Ranidae family. In this species, the male is smaller than the female. Thus, it measures 4.2 to 11 centimeters, while the male has a length between 3.5 and 8.1 centimeters.

The skin of the Poblana frog is smooth, with very few pustules. Its head is broad, with a fold of skin on the back and above the eardrum. As for the limbs, they are short. The body has a greenish-brown color, with some dark spots. The gular zone is darker and the ventral zone is light.

Habitat

Lithobates pueblae is endemic to Mexico, distributed in the Sierra Norte de Puebla, around the Necaxa river and Huauchinango. In these regions it lives in subtropical and tropical mountains and in pine oak forests, at an altitude of approximately 1,600 meters above sea level.

This frog is found associated with permanent river systems, such as rivers, where it breeds. The Puebla frog, as the species is also known, is critically threatened with extinction. Due to this, in Mexico, it is protected under the Official Mexican Standard 059 and the IUCN includes it on the Red List.

The main threat that afflicts this amphibian is the drying up of rivers, motivated by the creation of dams for the hydroelectric industry.

5- Poblana brown snake (

This reptile is endemic to Mexico, located in the north of Puebla, Guanajuato and Querétaro. Among their preferred habitats is the primary pine-oak forest, located between 1,800 and 2,300 meters above sea level. In these ecosystems, it lives under litter and fallen logs.

The communities of the Puebla brown snake are affected by the fragmentation of their environment. This occurs due to clearing, forest extraction, the expansion of urban development and the use of the land for cultivation activities.

Thus, to avoid its extinction, the Rhadinaea quinquelineatus is protected in Mexico by the NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010 standard. In this sense, the competent organisms suggest updated field studies, since this species is little known.

6- Poblano mouse (

The Poblano mouse measures approximately 24.9 centimeters. Its tail is long, in relation to the length of the head and the body. The dorsal region is golden or ocher in color, with small dark spots. In contrast, the belly is cream.

As for the tail, it is brown in the dorsal area and in the lower part it is whitish and mottled brown. The hind limbs are dark up to the area where the toes begin, which are white.

This species, also known as the field mouse, is located southeast of Puebla. Its distribution includes arid environments and rocky landscapes. These ecosystems are experiencing a marked loss of native vegetation due to the use of the land for agricultural purposes.

Also, Peromyscus mekisturus is threatened by the dramatic climatic variations that affect its habitat.

7- Dragoncito from the south of the Sierra Madre Oriental (

This reptile has a depressed body dorso-ventrally. Its head is flat and triangular in shape. In terms of size, the adult can measure up to 10.6 centimeters, from the snout to the cloaca. The tail is approximately 16 centimeters long.

The terrestrial arboreal lizard, as this species is also known, has a prehensile tail. In addition, its coloring is very particular. This can be bright green or bluish.

Regarding its distribution, it lives in the states of Veracruz, Oaxaca and Puebla. Within these regions, it is located in pine-oak forests and cloud forests, at an altitude between 1,350 and 2,743 meters above sea level.

The Abronia graínea has arboreal habits, like the rest of the members of its genus. On the other hand, it is generally located among the epiphytic species.

State of conservation

The little dragon of the southern Sierra Madre Oriental is in danger of becoming extinct. Among the main factors that affect it are the degradation of its habitat, which is affected by deforestation, fires and the use of the land for agricultural purposes.

Also, populations are decreasing due to their illegal capture and sale as a pet. To prevent its extinction, in Mexico it is protected by the NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010 standard. In addition, the IUCN categorizes it as Abronia grass in danger of extinction.

It should be noted that currently the only natural area where this animal is protected is the Pico de Orizaba Protected Natural Area, in Veracruz.

Among the actions to preserve the terrestrial arboreal lizard is the creation, in 2000, of the CAMP Abronia. The aforementioned committee, made up of Mexican and foreign experts, is in charge of studying and proposing strategies for the conservation of the various species of the genus Abronia.

8- Ajolote del Altiplano (

The Altiplano axolotl is a reptile that has a robust body, measuring 50 to 121 millimeters, from the snout to the cloaca. The tail could be a little shorter than the total length of the body or it can exceed it.

In relation to the color in adults, it can be black or dark brown, with olive green or yellow spots. These are found unevenly on the back, belly and on the upper part of the extremities.

This species is distributed from the Sierra Madre Occidental to Puebla, Michoacán, the state of Mexico and Toluca. From this area, it extends north, through the Sierra Madre Oriental to Coahuila.

Regarding its habitat, it lives in the semi-arid grasslands of the forests that are found above 1,800 meters above sea level. Many populations of the Altiplano axolotl are stable, but some are at risk.

This is due to the clearing of forests, pollution, water extraction and the introduction of fish, such as catfish and trout. Thus, this species is protected by Mexican environmental laws.

References

1. Enciclovida (2019). Poblano mouse Peromyscus mekisturus. CONABIO. Recovered from encyclovida.mx.
2. Enciclovida (2019). Dragoncito of the South of the Sierra Madre Oriental Abronia graminea. CONABIO. Recovered from encyclovida.mx.
3. CinthyaMendoza-AlmerallaaPatriciaBurrowesbGabrielaParra-Olea (2015). Chytridiomycosis in amphibians from Mexico: a revision. Recovered from sciencedirect.com.
4. Georgina Santos-Barrera, Luis Canseco-Márquez 2010. Exerodonta xera. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010. Recovered from iucnredlist.org.
5. Georgina Santos-Barrera, Luis Canseco-Márquez 2004. Plectrohyla charadricola. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004. Recovered from iucnredlist.org.
6. Daniels, A. & Maiz-Tome, L. 2019. Xiphophorus evelynae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019. Recovered from iucnredlist.org.