Chytridiomycosis and other emerging diseases are causing catastrophic amphibian declines with significant welfare implications for affected populations.
Amphibian chytridiomycosis causes death through a mechanism that involves progressive physiological deterioration over days to weeks in infected animals. The welfare of individual amphibians dying from this disease is a rarely discussed but real concern alongside the species conservation emergency. Mass die-offs from Bd epizootics cause population-scale suffering simultaneously with ecological disruption. Biosecurity protocols for herpetologists and amphibian keepers can reduce disease spread, while captive assurance colonies preserve the ability for future reintroduction.