Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

Barcelona Zoo takes part in a programme for Montseny brook newts bred in captivity to be reintroduced into their natural habitat, with 328 animals released this year. As the only vertebrate endemic to Catalonia, this species is the most critically endangered amphibian in Europe and is in danger of extinction.

Specifically, 60 juvenile individuals and 268 larvae from breeding centres run by Barcelona Zoo and the Catalan government, the key to the survival of the species, have been reintroduced as part of the LIFE Tritó Montseny project.

The natural habitat for this species, distinguished from the Pyrenean newt in 2005, is found in certain sections of seven streams in Montseny which are shorter than 3.5 kilometres in length. The fact the species lives in such a small area increases the danger of it becoming extinct.

Nearly 1,500 individuals have been released since 2010, into six different streams.