Background The Italian crested newt (Triturus carnifex) – long considered one of the four subspecies of the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) – is distributed all over Italy (except for Sicily and Sardinia), southern-central Europe and the western Balkans. In general, the species group is suffering severe declines in many parts of the 37 known range countries. For this reason all four subspecies are included in Appendix II of the Bern Convention, in Annexes II and IVa of the Habitat Directive and in many national classifications as vulnerable, threatened or endangered. Threats to the species include direct habitat destruction and fragmentation, habitat degradation caused by agricultural practices, pollution, introduced species (especially predatory fish), lack of pond management and flood control measures. Despite being among the most intensively studied amphibian species in Europe, only limited conservation work has taken place, with the great crested newt and the Italian crested newt receiving the most attention to date. The project site includes the southernmost part of the European distribution area of the target species and is a strategic area for the conservation of the four-lined snake (Elaphe quatuorlineata). Objectives The aims of the project are: To secure the populations of the Italian crested newt (Triturus carnifex), the smooth newt (Triturus vulgaris), the Italian tree frog (Hyla intermedia), and Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni) with the release (from a temporary breeding centre) of tadpoles and juvenile individuals in the Natura 2000 network site Monte Calvo-Piana di Montenero; and To guarantee the survival of the populations of 12 bat species (Myotis myotis, Myotis blythii, Myotis capaccinii, Miniopterus schreibersii, Rhinolophus euryale, Rhinolophus hipposideros, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Eptesicus serotinus, Pipistrellus kuhlii, Nyctalus noctula, Hypsugo savii and Tadarida teniotis). These 12 species represent more than one-third of all bat species found in Italy (34 in total) and close to one-third of all European species (39 in total).