Chytridiomycosis caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is the most devastating wildlife disease in recorded history, having caused the decline or extinction of over 500 amphibian species.
Chytridiomycosis causes severe welfare suffering at the individual level: affected amphibians show progressive lethargy, abnormal posture, sloughing skin, and cardiac failure — a prolonged and distressing death. The disease has eliminated entire populations and species in weeks in some cases. The welfare of billions of individual amphibians has been affected by a pathogen spread through irresponsible international wildlife trade. Preventing further spread requires strict biosecurity for herpetological collections, wild-caught amphibian trade controls, and Bs-specific protocols in Europe to protect newt and salamander populations. Captive insurance populations maintained by zoos and specialist keepers provide a welfare-protected resource for eventual reintroduction.