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Chytridiomycosis is a fungal disease of amphibians that has led to widespread mortality and extinction worldwide. It is considered the greatest threat in terms of diseases to biodiversity. The fungus that causes the disease Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) was described in 2013 after the rapid decline of a population of Salamandra salamandra in the southern Netherlands.

Current knowledge of the distribution of Bsal outside the native range is incomplete. It could be present in more European countries than is currently known and is deadly for almost all European caudates (newts and salamanders), representing a massive threat to their diversity.

The scope of this project includes:

1. Somiedo Natural Park (Asturias).
2. Saja-Besaya Natural Park (Cantabria).
3. Sierra de Peña Sagra (Cantabria).
4. Fuentes Carrionas and Fuente Cobre Natural Park – Palencia Mountain (Palencia).
5. Picos de Europa National Park (Asturias, Cantabria, and León).

• To contribute to the knowledge of the distribution area of the Bsal fungus in the Cantabrian mountain range.
• Design a surveillance program for the detection of Bsal and the identification of its impacts on the conservation of amphibians in the area.
• Establish an early warning system that allows the rapid detection of new outbreaks of Bsal as an amphibian conservation problem.
• Provide decision-making tools aimed at mitigating long-term amphibian loss.

• Identification of amphibian breeding sites (watering holes, ponds, streams) in the study areas.
• Sampling and laboratory analysis of the presence of Bsal fungus.
• Design of a surveillance programme to understand the distribution of Bsal in the Cantabrian mountain range.
• Development of a mobile application for the early warning of Bsal in amphibians.
• Creation of a public database of all the information, sampling places and results obtained in the project.