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Three species of the newt are native to Britain - the
great crested, smooth and palmate. Of these, only the first two are thought
to occur naturally in Nottinghamshire, although the palmate newt has been
introduced in several places. An unconfirmed sighting of palmate newts near
Mansfield will be the first native colony to be identified in
Nottinghamshire, if it is confirmed. Great crested newts are one of the UK
Biodiversity Action Plan priority species.
Identification
Distinguishing between the species is relatively easy during the breeding
season when they are most likely to be encountered, but it becomes more
difficult later in the year. Great crested newts are the easiest to identify
- they can grow to 16cm in length, and have a rough warty skin, hence their
alternative name of "Warty Newt". The back and sides are very
dark, and the belly is orange or yellow with black spots. In the breeding
season, the male develops a serrated crest that runs from the head to the
base of the tail. Both smooth and palmate newts are much smaller, the former
reaching around 10cm in length, the latter rarely more than 8cm - and
neither has warty skin.
During the breeding season, male smooth newts have a high
undulating crest running from the top of the head to the tip of the tail.
They are normally olive- green above, with black blotches, whilst the belly
is bright orange spotted with black. Females lack a crest and are usually
light brown or sandy yellow above, with a pale orange belly. The male
palmate newt can be distinguished from the male smooth newt by its smaller
crest, strongly webbed back feet, and by the thin fleshy filament that
protrudes several millimetres from the tip of its tail. Females are harder
to tell apart, but those of the palmate newt tend to have smaller feet.
Feeding
On land, newts eat a varied diet of slugs, snails, earthworms and small
insects. In the water they eat small invertebrates, fish fry, tadpoles and
amphibian eggs.
Breeding
Newts start to return to their ponds during February and March, although the
main breeding period is in April and May. In all three species, there is an
elaborate courtship ritual in which the male "dances" in front of
the female, undulating his crest and showing off his fine colours. After
mating, the female lays her eggs singly - using her hind feet to fold the
leaf of an underwater plant around each one.
The newt tadpoles hatch in about two weeks - miniatures of their parents,
but with feathery external gills. From the start they are carnivorous,
preying upon small aquatic insects, frog and toad tadpoles, and even each
other. Other water creatures prey on them in turn. By the time they are
ready to leave the pond in August, their numbers are much reduced. In common
with frog and toad tadpoles, some may remain on the pond for a further year
before undergoing metamorphosis - this can happen if the food supply is
poor.
Dispersal and Hibernation
After leaving the pond at the end of the breeding season, the adult newts
take up residence under logs and stones, in crevices in walls, and in other
similar places. They frequently remain in these during hibernation, although
as winter approaches some will bury themselves in the soil or find their way
into underground cavities around the foundations of buildings. Several
species of newt can often be found hibernating together. They will sometimes
share their winter quarters with frogs and toads, too.
Amphibians and the Law
All native British amphibians are protected under The Wildlife and
Countryside Act, 1981, and the sale of three of our newt species, including
their eggs and tadpoles, is prohibited. Great crested newts are a threatened
species and receive additional protection - it is illegal to intentionally
kill, injure, possess or disturb the animals or to damage their habitat. All
stages of their life cycle are protected, and a licence is required from
English Nature before great crested newts can be caught, even for survey
work.
Records
We are always pleased to receive details of any sightings of newts -
particularly from rural areas. Note down the species seen, numbers, habitat,
and precise location. A six-figure reference is useful but not essential.
For further information about newts contact Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.
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