Nature

For more than two decades, a community of Dominican nuns in Pátzcuaro has quietly been leading one of Mexico’s most extraordinary conservation efforts.  Tucked behind the walls of their monastery, adjacent to a 16th-century basilica, the sisters care for and breed the critically endangered Lake Pátzcuaro salamander. This species, known locally as the achoque, exists … [Read more...] about Nuns Are Saving a Critically Endangered Salamander in Mexico, and It’s Working

A political confrontation is unfolding in northeastern Mexico, where indigenous communities in the Huasteca Potosina region are challenging President Claudia Sheinbaum’s decision to legalize and promote hydraulic fracking.  After years of an official ban and widespread political opposition to the practice, the current administration has reversed course, citing national … [Read more...] about Indigenous Groups in San Luis Potosí Mobilize Against New Fracking Policy

For two months, the Mexican government maintained a steadfast narrative: the oil staining hundreds of miles of Gulf coastline was the result of an illegal ship dump and natural seabed seeps. But on April 16, that narrative collapsed.  Federal authorities were forced to admit that a decaying 36-inch pipeline owned by state oil giant Pemex, located within the Cantarell … [Read more...] about New Evidence Shows Continuous Fallout from Cantarell Spill Contaminating Protected Reserves

The beaches of Mexico’s Caribbean coast, famous for their white sand and turquoise water, face a recurring threat. Every year, massive amounts of brown seaweed known as sargassum wash ashore.  It rots in the sun, releasing a smell like rotten eggs, harming wildlife, and driving away tourists. In 2025, authorities in Quintana Roo collected over 80,000 tons of the stuff, … [Read more...] about Mexican Scientists Tackle the Sargassum Crisis to Turn the Scurge into Profit

In Villahermosa, Parque-Museo La Venta functions as both a zoo and an archaeological park. The site houses several Olmec colossal heads and other artifacts from what is considered Mesoamerica's "mother culture," alongside living animals, including jaguars, monkeys, and crocodiles. Recent investigations by federal environmental authorities have focused on whether the park is … [Read more...] about Zoo at Villahermosa’s Parque-Museo La Venta Under Scrutiny