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GREAT
CRESTED NEWTS FACTFILE
In
Britain there are three species of newt – the great crested,
smooth and palmate. The great crested, or warty, newt is the
largest.
Because of their scarcity great crested newts are protected
by law, in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the
European Union’s Habitats and Species Directive. This means
it is illegal to interfere with young or adult newts, their
eggs or tadpoles.
Over the last 50 years the population across Britain has
plummeted, largely due to the degradation of the ponds in
which they live. Without proper management, ponds quickly
become choked with weeds and rushes, eventually turning
into dry land. Ponds overshadowed by trees become too shaded
and cold for newts.
Ponds can be managed to encourage newts. General guidelines
include working on ponds only in the winter when newts are
absent, making sure ponds do not become choked with weeds,
keeping them fish-free, allowing long grass around ponds
in summer, keeping overhanging shrubs under control and
providing piles of leaves and sticks for newts to feed and
hide in.
Newts spend much of the year on dry land. They breathe air.
In water they can absorb some oxygen through their skins,
but they need to rise to the surface regularly to take gulps
of air.
They return to water to breed at the end of the winter.
Males then develop breeding crests and both sexes become
more brightly coloured. Courtship is elaborate. The male
chases the female, fans her with his tail and adopts striking
poses.
Great crested newts are seldom seen on land in daylight
unless disturbed. They are most active at night. They spend
their lives within about 200-500 metres of their breeding
pond.
They feed on land and in water, eating mostly small creatures
such as water fleas, water lice, shrimp, insect larvae and
small land invertebrates. They feast on worms!
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