Page 6 of 6. Frequently asked questions.

Great crested (or warty) newt Triturus cristatus

Description

Adults can reach a maximum length of around 16cm, and have a dark brown or black, warty appearance. Males have a high, jagged crest down the back, and another on the tail; this, along with their colouration, Tadpole becomes more pronounced in the breeding season. Females lack the crest. Both sexes have a bright orange belly with black blotches. The great crested newt has a widespread distribution in lowland England, but is rarer in the southwest. It is less common in Wales (apart from the Flintshire area) and Scotland. The great crested newt has declined more than any of the other widespread amphibians in recent decades.

Great crested newt

Legal protection: 'Fully protected' - killing, injuring and handling, disturbing, damage to habitat and sale prohibited. A European protected species.

[NOT TO SCALE]

Life history

Great crested newts breed in the spring, from around March through to June. Males court the females with an elaborate dance. The females lay eggs individually on the leaves of aquatic plants. The eggs hatch out after around three weeks and the newt larvae take a further two months to transform into juveniles, at which point they leave the water. Unlike frogs and toads, newt larvae are entirely carnivorous (as are the adults), the front legs appear before the rear ones, and they have large, feathery gills. Adult newts only return to the water to breed. Hibernation occurs from around mid~October to mid-February; however, sometimes newts (including larvae) will remain in the water overwinter.

Critical factors - great crested newts require:

Ponds for breeding - generally medium depth, well vegetated, unshaded pools which may or may not dry up in summer.
No fish - great crested newt larvae are particularly vulnerable to being eaten by fish.
No waterfowl - newt larvae and aquatic plants (and hence eggs) are eaten by waterfowl.
Submerged aquatic vegetation for egg-laying.
Easy exit from the pond for emerging juveniles and adults (i.e. no steep sides).
Damp, vegetated areas around the margins for cover for emerging juveniles.
Areas of rough grass for foraging and cover - may extend to 500m beyond pond.
Daytime refuges, such as logs, rocks and shrubby vegetation.
Areas of woodland or similar habitat for hibernation.

Great crested newt tadpole

(Provided by and reproduced with permission of: English Nature)