Five Birch Aquarium staff members traveled to Mexico City earlier in 2026 to study axolotl conservation firsthand, gathering material for a bilingual exhibition opening Wednesday, Oct. 21, in La Jolla.
The Axolotl's Garden/El Jardín del Ajolote will feature two axolotl habitats alongside other Mexican species, including Tequila Splitfins and Blind Cave Tetras, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Admission to the exhibit is included with regular Birch Aquarium tickets.
The research trip, detailed by Birch Aquarium on Thursday, Oct. 8, brought together staff from leadership, education and exhibits. The team included Chief Guest Experience and Business Development Officer Allyson Gobler, Director of Exhibits Megan Dickerson, Manager of School and Youth Programs Alaine Ibarreche, Public Education Programs Manager Rachel Farchadi and Executive Assistant Laura Nuno.
Their trip began at Xochimilco Lake, described by the aquarium as the only place where axolotls are found in the wild. The team floated through the canals aboard a trajinera, a traditional flat-bottomed wooden boat, at sunrise.
Farchadi called the sunrise "a peaceful oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Mexico City," describing fog creeping along the water and roosters crowing as the sky slowly brightened.
Local guides Erica Ramirez Rosas and Maria Monterosa, of the nonprofit Chinampa Temachtiani, shared generations-old legends about the axolotl and Xochimilco. The nonprofit was founded by former San Diegan Sara Sandoval.
The team also met chinampero farmers. Antonio Mendez Rosas and Alonso Flores Poblano showed them chinampa agriculture, an Aztec-era practice that uses raised "floating gardens" built from mud and vegetation. Mendez Rosas is one of about 30 chinamperos partnering with the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) on axolotl conservation. He built a biofiltration system in a separate canal on his chinampa, with a gate to block invasive carp and tilapia.
At UNAM, the Birch Aquarium team met with Luis Zambrano, who leads axolotl conservation in Xochimilco, and researcher Diana Laura Vázquez Mendoza. Discussions covered DNA research, habitat restoration and partnerships with local farmers.
Dickerson, the exhibits director, said she left the trip with "a clear-eyed sense of just how serious the situation is for wild axolotls," saying environmental DNA testing is picking up only traces of the animals in Xochimilco's waters.
The exhibition, presented by The Lodge at Torrey Pines, was created in collaboration with artist Itzel Islas. It explores biodiversity, climate resilience, habitat loss and migration through encounters with live animals, contemporary art and conservation science, according to the aquarium. Large-scale axolotl sculptures and new art installations will greet visitors in the Entry Courtyard.
Six weeks of axolotl-inspired programming will follow the opening, with artist Maricruz Alvarado creating ofrendas as the first event, according to the Union-Tribune.
Upcoming
- Wednesday, Oct. 21: The Axolotl's Garden/El Jardín del Ajolote opens at Birch Aquarium. Included with general admission.
- Oct. 21 through early December: Six weeks of axolotl-inspired programming, beginning with ofrenda creation by artist Maricruz Alvarado.
