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Protecting U.S. Salamanders from the Threat of Deadly Disease
SAVE THE FROGS! Founder Dr. Kerry Kriger has submitted an official comment to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in strong support of their January 2025 ruling to protect U.S. salamanders from the devastating effects of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, a lethal fungal pathogen that has decimated amphibian populations worldwide.
In 2016, subsequent to a petition submitted by SAVE THE FROGS! and the Center for Biological Diversity (see our 2016 comment here), the USFWS enacted an interim rule listing 20 genera of salamanders as injurious under the Lacey Act, effectively restricting their importation and interstate transport to prevent the introduction of Bsal into the United States. The 2025 ruling seeks to affirm this protection as final and expand the list to include an additional 16 salamander genera—a crucial step based on the latest scientific research.
Rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa), native to the western USA. Photo atop page is Pseudotriton ruber from Ohio, USA by Aidan-McCarthy USA, 2023 SAVE THE FROGS! Photo Contest
Why This Rule Matters
The United States is home to the highest diversity of salamanders in the world, many of which are already threatened by habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change. The introduction of Bsal could cause mass die-offs and irreversible damage to native amphibian populations, disrupting ecosystems and threatening biodiversity.
Since the 2016 interim rule was enacted, we have seen:
✅ A significant decline in the importation of non-native salamanders, reducing disease introduction risk.
✅ No recorded cases of Bsal in wild U.S. amphibians—evidence that these protections are working.
✅ Increased awareness within the pet trade, conservation, and scientific communities about the dangers of amphibian disease transmission.
Expanding these protections is scientifically and ethically necessary to prevent a catastrophic disease outbreak.
Alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris), native to Europe.
Official Comment Submitted By Dr. Kerry Kriger
Here you can read the full SAVE THE FROGS! submission to the USFWS.
SAVE THE FROGS! stands firmly in support of this critical ruling.
Regarding The Axolotl Comments
The USFWS comments section contained many comments from axolotl owners opposing the ruling. Some argue that it will harm the axolotl pet trade and interfere with breeding programs, but these arguments ignore key facts:
❌ Axolotls are native to Mexico and should not be in U.S. ecosystems.
❌ Captive-bred axolotls are not part of legitimate conservation programs. They are bred for the pet trade (e.g. entertainment), not for reintroduction into the wild.
❌ Even responsible pet owners and vendors cannot fully prevent disease spread. It only takes one infected salamander to trigger an outbreak.
The only way to ensure the safety of U.S. salamander populations is to limit amphibian transport, which is exactly what this ruling enforces. Furthermore, Lacey Act restrictions no longer prevent interstate transport, so most of the commenters concerned about axolotl trade will not be affected by the current ruling.
The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is not native to the USA and serves no purpose in the USA.
Take Action
We urge all conservationists, amphibian enthusiasts, and environmental advocates to voice their support and help safeguard native salamanders from deadly disease. Together, we can save the salamanders!
This ruling is a proactive, science-based measure to protect our native wildlife from an ecological disaster. By supporting this regulation, we can ensure a future where salamanders continue to thrive in their natural habitats—healthy, safe, and free from disease.
🐸 Submit your own comment in support of this ruling, by the March 1st, 2025 11:59pm deadline.
🐸 Learn more about amphibian diseases
🐸 Support our conservation efforts: donate to SAVE THE FROGS!
Thank you for standing with SAVE THE FROGS! in the fight to protect amphibians!
Van Dyke’s salamander (Plethodon vandykei), a Washington state native.
Relevant Literature
Thanks to amphibian disease researcher Evan Eskew (whose comment you can read here) for compiling this list:
Connelly, P.J., et al. 2023. United States amphibian imports pose a disease risk to salamanders despite Lacey Act regulations. Communications Earth & Environment, 4(1), p.351.
Gray, M.J., et al. 2023. Broad host susceptibility of North American amphibian species to Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans suggests high invasion potential and biodiversity risk. Nature Communications, 14(1), p.3270.
Grear, D.A., et al. 2021. Evaluation of regulatory action and surveillance as preventive risk-mitigation to an emerging global amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal). Biological Conservation, 260, p.109222.
Nguyen, T.T., et al. 2017. Trade in wild anurans vectors the urodelan pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans into Europe. Amphibia-Reptilia, 38(4), pp.554-556.
Schulz, V., et al. 2020. Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans in the Ruhr District, Germany: history, distribution, decline dynamics and disease symptoms of the salamander plague. Salamandra, 56(3), pp.189-214.
Stegen, G., et al. 2017. Drivers of salamander extirpation mediated by Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans. Nature, 544(7650), pp.353-356.
Towe, A.E., et al. 2021. Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans can devour more than salamanders. The Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 57(4), pp.942-948.
Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra), native to Europe. The oldest known European record of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans is from two preserved specimens of infected Fire Salamanders collected in the Eifel region of Germany in 2004.
