Patzcuaro’s “Achoque” - the Work of the Dominican Nuns to Preserve Them
Did you know that in Patzcuaro there is a unique species in the world, in danger of extinction? It is the “achoque,” a salamander endemic to our lake. The Dominican Nuns, who are guardians of the “Virgen de la Salud de Pátzcuaro” , have also dedicated much of their work to protect the achoque and raise awareness about its importance. The nuns prepare a syrup made from achoque that many people use against respiratory problems. Their commitment is an example to follow, and shows that biodiversity conservation is a task that concerns us all.
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| Patzcuaro's Achoque the work of the Dominican Nuns to Preserve Them |
The Achoque of Patzcuaro, an endemic
salamander, has been around for more than 370 million years old, is a
symbol of the rich biodiversity of the lake and a source of pride for the
Purépechas. However, the achoque is in danger of extinction.
Recently an exhibition was held in Patzcuaro.
It served to make visitors aware of the importance of this endemic
amphibian of Lake Patzcuaro, but we should appreciate
their work that began in 1985, which was at the time that the number achoque
began to lessen, Before that date it was even prepared in a
broth and recommended if you had a cough. In pre-Hispanic times it was
considered a very special delicacy, since it could only be consumed by the
Purepecha nobility.
Now things have changed and it is catalogued as an
endangered species and the Dominican Nuns have successfully managed to
reproduce it in captivity.
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| Patzcuaro's Achoque the work of the Dominican Nuns to Preserve Them |
Since they began the project it is important
to recognize the great work they have done, training and researching to achieve
it with the support of specialists from the Universidad Michoacana de San
Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH), taking care of the genetics of this
amphibian, and documenting this information, which has served in the
work of preservation of the species.
At Hotel Mansión Iturbe, we deeply admire the work of the Dominican nuns and recognize their contribution to the preservation of the rich biodiversity of our lake and to hopefully ensure a future for it. Congratulations!
*Text and pictures property of Hotel Mansión Iturbe.
We invite you to check more post in our blog, you will find information about Patzcuaro and its surroundings that we hope will be useful for your next trip to our colonial town in Mexico.
Here are some post that we suggest you:
Achoque, the salamader of Lake Patzcuaro
So, you only have one day to spend in Patzcuaro
Five places to relax and undwind near Patzcuaro
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