Amphibians are increasingly kept in zoos for conservation breeding as wild populations crash, but their complex environmental needs make high-quality captive care challenging.
Captive amphibian welfare is often underestimated because these animals are small, quiet and slow-moving. However, failure to meet their environmental requirements causes chronic stress, compromised immune function and shortened lifespan. Husbandry advances - including naturalistic bioactive enclosures with live plants and soil substrates - have dramatically improved welfare for species like poison dart frogs and salamanders. Zoos with amphibian conservation programmes are increasingly investing in welfare science alongside breeding success metrics.