Amphibians are the most threatened vertebrate class, with many species maintained in zoo captive assurance colonies. Meeting their specific welfare needs is essential for conservation breeding success.
Zoo amphibian welfare represents one of the clearest cases where conservation necessity and welfare commitment converge. Many captive amphibian populations are the last remaining individuals of their species - their welfare is inseparable from the survival of the species. Meeting the precise environmental requirements of amphibians in captivity requires detailed species-specific knowledge: temperature gradients, humidity levels, UV provision, and prey selection differ between species in ways that matter enormously for health and welfare. The institutional knowledge built by zoos maintaining these colonies over decades is both a welfare and conservation resource. The Bd biosecurity challenge is the ongoing existential threat: a single introduction could eliminate a captive insurance population built over years.