do mexican salamanders' living environment been influenced badly in recent years

Indeed, Mexican salamanders, particularly the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), which is considered an umbrella species for conservation of other Ambystoma species, have faced significant changes in their living environments in recent years. These changes have had a detrimental impact on their populations:

1. Habitat Loss: One of the primary threats to Mexican salamanders is the loss and degradation of their habitat. Urbanization, agriculture, and real estate development have encroached upon their habitats, reducing the availability of suitable aquatic ecosystems necessary for their survival and reproduction.

2. Water Pollution: Pollution from industrial and agricultural run-off has poisoned the waters where Mexican salamanders live. This pollution includes chemicals that can affect breeding success, growth rates, and overall health, thereby reducing survivability.

3. Habitat Alteration: Changes in water quality, such as those due to over-extraction for agriculture or inadequate water treatment facilities, affect the essential conditions these amphibians need for breeding and larval development.

4. Invasive Species: Introduction of non-native fish species to the axolotl’s habitat competes for food resources and also preys on juvenile and adult specimens, further impacting native salamander populations.

5. Climate Change: Shifts in climate can alter wetland ecosystems, affecting the temperature, seasonality, and hydrology critical to Mexican salamanders' life cycles.

6. Illegal Wildlife Trade: The high demand for axolotls and some other Mexican salamander species as exotic pets has contributed to their decline since collection in the wild often exceeds sustainable levels.

These factors have led to severe population declines for many Mexican salamander species, including the axolotl. Once widespread in lakes and canals in and around Mexico City, the axolotl is now critically endangered with its last surviving wild populations limited to a small area within the Xochimilco region and sewage ponds in nearby areas. Despite ongoing conservation efforts, the future of Mexican salamanders in the wild remains bleak, underlining the significance of conservation actions to save these unique species from extinction.