Amphibians and reptiles in Trentino

Amphibians and reptiles represent the two vertebrate classes at greatest risk of extinction globally. The main threats to conservation include habitat loss, fragmentation and alteration, climate change, lack of adequate knowledge, direct killing during the migratory period and trade for collecting, as well as alien species and the spread of certain pathogens. In order to meet the challenges of the present, within the framework of the Natura 2000 Network of the Autonomous Province of Trento, in recent years MUSE - Museo delle Scienze has initiated study and monitoring projects on some particularly vulnerable target species such as the Aurora salamander (Salamandra atra aurorae) and the black salamander (Salamandra atra atra). The research made it possible to investigate new aspects of the ecology of the subspecies, defining monitoring protocols and preparing conservation plans. In addition, a look into the past by analysing and comparing historical and current data offers valuable and surprising information that can reveal unexpected trends, which could influence the perspective on the conservation status of a species, as in the case of the study carried out on the marasso (Vipera berus). Adopting a general view on conservation, based on the foundations of the past and the evidence of the present, aims to chart a more conscious course for the future.