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From October 1–4, 2025, Barcelona hosted a landmark collaboration: the 18th Luso-Spanish Congress of Herpetology (Iberian Herpetology Congress 2025) and the 19th Conference of the Catalan Herpetological Society. These traditionally biennial events joined forces to create the most significant herpetology meeting in the region, drawing over 160 herpetologists primarily from Spain and Portugal, as well as delegates from across Europe and beyond.
The overwhelming conclusion from the congress was one of grave concern. Despite yearly improvements in methodologies and a growing number of herpetologists, data presented show that amphibian and reptile populations across Europe, and particularly on the Iberian Peninsula, are declining at an accelerating pace. This alarming trend was the central theme of the Iberian Herpetology Congress.
Through 67 oral presentations and 59 posters, herpetologists issued an urgent call. They implored fellow scientists, but especially policymakers and politicians responsible for implementing change, to prioritize habitat preservation and restoration. Furthermore, they stressed the critical need for effective campaigns against invasive species, citing devastating examples such as the near-total extinction of the endemic Balearic lizard (Podarcis pityusensis) on Ibiza following the sudden appearance of the invasive horseshoe whip snake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis).
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