Habitat
Ponds and very slow moving streams with good weed cover during the breeding
season. On land may be found close to breeding ponds and in woods hiding under stones and
fallen logs. Occurs from sea level to about 2000m.
Geographical spread
Localised area in England and Wales and throughout much of Europe
including southern Scandinavia, parts of Russia, northern Italy and northern France.
Current population
400,000 (unofficial figure based on an estimate).
Status
Receives some protection under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act. Cannot be
captured, kept, injured, killed or disturbed without a licence from one of the national
conservation agencies (English Nature, the Countryside Council for Wales and Scottish Natural
Heritage).
Size
Largest British species of newt, 6-8 inches long.
Weight
Up to 7-10g.
Average life expectancy
Can live for 11 years or more but typically live for 8-9 years and on
average only for 4-6.
Normal diet
Newts are carnivorous, finding their prey by sight and smell and the water
vibrations picked up by their lateral-line system. Tadpoles eat Daphnia (waterflea), Cyclops,
aquatic insects, small worms, shrimps, water lice and snails. Crested tadpoles have also been
seen to eat smaller tadpoles. The adult newts eat slugs, snails, grubs, soil mites and springtails
on land. In water they feed on aquatic insects, crustaceans, molluscs, frogspawn, tadpoles and
their own young.
Normal lifestyle
Great-crested newts hibernate during the winter months (September-March) emerging in spring
and entering water to breed. By April the males have developed their crests
and are performing their courtship dances for the females. Males do a handstand in front of the
female, with his tail beating furiously. Competition for mates is intense. Between April and June
females lay 200-300 eggs, each is individually wrapped in a leaf of pondweed which she
presses shut with her hind feet. Half the eggs are pre-programmed to die before hatching, but
noone knows why this happens. Favoured laying plants are starwort, water forget-me-not,
Canadian pondweed, and blanket weed. Embryo development depends on water temperature.
Newt tadpoles are very secretive and are extremely fast swimmers. The legs of newts appear
in reverse order to those of frogs- front first, then back. Tadpoles usually leave the pond 2-4
months after hatching. On land the efts seek out dark, damp places, under logs, stones and
vegetation and do not return to the water until they are ready to breed, two to three years later.
Adults leave the ponds at the end of the breeding season and spend the rest of the year on land
hidden in damp places.
Previous geographical spread
Probably other areas in Britain.
Reasons for decline
Numbers have declined since the 1960s due to habitat destruction,lose
of wetlands, changes in farming techniques and loss of heathlands.
Conservation projects
Several county groups doing local conservation work, such as
Herpetofauna Conservation International. Members monitor newt numbers for a new reptile and
amphibian recording scheme launched in 1994 to build up a picture of British populations for
scientific and conservation purposes.
Since this species requires large, deep pools to survive, conservation work involves, felling
trees as the shade they create makes the water cold and leaves clog up the pools, also
defending pools against infilling, road schemes and housing.
File last modified Thursday, October 3, 1996