Guatemalan center successfully breeds and releases endangered salamanders
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The Marine Conservation Center in Guatemala successfully bred the machorra, a native salamander also known as the pejelagarto, and released 1,000 young fish into Laguna Güiscoyol in Santa Rosa.
After seven years of effort, the center achieved the first successful reproduction of the species under human care. Researchers will now monitor the young salamanders to track their growth and how well they adapt to the natural environment. The research project aims to understand the machorra’s reproduction, development, and survival.
The Marine Conservation Center developed a research protocol with the National Council of Protected Areas to document the process. The project also received technical support from La Aurora Zoo, which shared its expertise in species management and helped train staff. The machorra can grow up to 1.40 meters long and live for 16 to 20 years in the wild, and plays a role in fishing in the Chiquimulilla canal.
