Zoos play an increasingly critical conservation role for amphibians facing global extinction crises, but captive amphibian welfare requires specialized knowledge and commitment.
Captive amphibian welfare is technically demanding because these animals have highly specific environmental requirements that differ dramatically between species. A generalist approach to amphibian husbandry fails the welfare needs of most species - temperature, humidity, photoperiod, water chemistry, and substrate requirements vary enormously. Amphibians kept in suboptimal conditions suffer from skin problems, metabolic bone disease, immune suppression, and behavioral abnormalities, but their stoic nature means these conditions often go unrecognized until severe. The conservation imperative of maintaining assurance colonies creates pressure to hold amphibians in conditions that may compromise individual welfare in service of species preservation.