The Majorcan Midwife toad is ranked 55 on a list of the 100 most threatened amphibians (Image: Mike Linley/Photolibrary.com)

A FUNGAL disease is decimating amphibian populations around the world, and so far the only way to save a species at risk is to remove individuals from the wild. Is it time to try taking out the disease as well?

So far the majority of amphibian conservation efforts have focused on identifying species at high risk of extinction, and establishing captive breeding programmes in biosecure units where they will be protected from Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the chytrid fungus that is …