"It's one of the most beautiful amphibians in the world, and a spectacular animal to see in person," says Nate Nelson, curator of amphibians, reptiles, and fish at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Witchita, Kansas. The zoo is involved in a breeding program for Luristan newts with hopes to one day release individuals back into the wild
The IUCN Red List has classified the Luristan newt as Critically Endangered with its population in increasing decline. In this case the animal's beauty is its downfall.
The biggest threat for the Luristan newt is "illegal collection for the pet trade," explains Dr. Theodore Papenfuss, a research specialist of herpetology (the study of amphibians and reptiles) at the University of California, Berkeley. "Several hundred specimens have been smuggled to Europe in the last few years. Some have appeared in the US pet trade."
