Chytrid fungus has driven at least 90 amphibian species to extinction and threatened hundreds more. Understanding the welfare dimension of this disease emergency informs effective conservation responses.
Chytrid infection causes progressive physiological deterioration: skin lesions impair osmotic regulation, leading to electrolyte imbalance and cardiac arrest. The process can take days to weeks, involving significant distress. In wild populations, mass die-offs involve enormous numbers of animals experiencing this process simultaneously. Welfare intervention in wild populations is not currently feasible at scale, making disease prevention through trade regulation the primary welfare lever.