Some stories remind us that meaningful change doesn’t always begin with a global movement or a bold policy shift. Sometimes, it begins with a single species — small, fragile, often overlooked — and the people who decide that its survival matters.
In this week’s episode of Conversations with Agents of Change, I had the privilege of speaking with Dr Erika Servín Zamora, a veterinary scientist, educator, and one of the leading global voices in amphibian conservation. Her work with Mexico’s iconic axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is not just ground-breaking science — it’s a powerful reminder that compassion and curiosity can reshape entire conservation systems.
Meeting the Axolotl — A Creature with Ancient Roots and Modern Challenges
Erika first encountered the axolotl in a small museum tank in Mexico City. Drawn in by its unusual form and calm, expressive presence, she quickly learned that this extraordinary creature — a symbol of an Aztec god with the power to transform — was critically endangered.
Today, almost every one of Mexico’s 17 axolotl species is threatened. Habitat loss, pollution, invasive fish, and rapid urbanisation have pushed these animals to the edge. But what makes Erika’s work remarkable is that she refuses to accept extinction as a foregone conclusion.
Creating Knowledge Where None Exists
One of the most striking things about Erika’s career is her commitment to building the foundation that amphibian care desperately needed. When she first began working with axolotls, there were no veterinary books, no diagnostic guides, and no treatment protocols for their unique biology.
So she created them.
Her book Mi Axolote en Casa (“My Axolotl at Home”) fills a crucial gap for pet owners, vets, families, educators — anyone who wants to care for these fascinating animals responsibly. She wrote it because she kept encountering axolotls that were loved… but not properly cared for. Awareness, she says, is the first step toward compassion.
And she’s already planning an English translation and a masterclass so that people around the world can learn from reliable, science-based guidance.
Cryopreservation: Freezing the Future to Save a Species
One of the most exciting parts of our conversation was learning about Erika’s pioneering work in amphibian cryopreservation — a field usually dominated by mammals like pandas, wolves, rhinos, and gorillas.
Why does freezing embryos matter?
Because we are losing genetic diversity faster than we can restore habitats. And without genetic diversity, reintroduction becomes nearly impossible.
Erika is working on creating frozen genetic banks for amphibians — a safeguard for species that may soon have no wild populations left. For axolotls, whose natural lake habitats have been drastically altered, this could be a lifeline.
She calls it a “frozen Noah’s Ark,” and it may one day help bring healthy, wild-type axolotls back to Xochimilco and beyond.
Changing Systems Through Education and Community
What I love most about Erika’s work is that it is not just about the science. It’s about people — children, families, local communities, even a convent of nuns in Michoacán who are raising another endangered salamander species, the achoque.
Erika understands something fundamental:
If people don’t know a species exists, they cannot protect it.
So she teaches.
She builds community programmes.
She works with children — including those with special educational needs — who are mesmerized by these calm, gentle animals.
In every puppet show, school visit, or masterclass, she’s planting seeds of empathy. And those seeds can grow into activism, policy, innovation, and care.
Where Hope Lives in Conservation
Despite the challenges, Erika remains hopeful — not blindly, but intentionally.
She reminds us that endangered species like the axolotl are in danger because of human impact. Which means humans can choose to reverse it.
And that choice begins wherever we are:
Keeping local waters clean.
Sharing accurate information.
Respecting the responsibilities of pet ownership.
Supporting conservation initiatives even from afar.
For Erika, hope isn’t abstract.
It’s a responsibility — and a practice.
A Quiet, Powerful Agent of Change
When I think about what it means to be an Agent of Change, I often picture large-scale transformation. But Erika’s work made me pause.
Sometimes, change begins in a lab.
Sometimes, in a classroom.
Sometimes, in the stillness of a small aquarium where a delicate creature depends on us to get things right.
Erika is redefining conservation:
- by building the veterinary knowledge that didn’t exist
- by freezing embryos for future generations
- by teaching children to care before they consume
- by reminding us that empathy is a scientific tool too
Saving the axolotl isn’t just about saving a species — it’s about reshaping our relationship with nature itself.
This episode left me with a renewed sense of what’s possible when science is paired with heart, and expertise is paired with empathy.
Erika’s message is clear:
You don’t need to save everything.
You just need to care deeply about one thing — deeply enough to change the system around it.
If you haven’t listened yet, I promise this is a conversation that will stay with you.
🎧 Listen to the full episode on Conversations with Agents of Change.
Stay curious. Stay compassionate. And keep changing the world.
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