Herpetiles - Amphibians - newts

Herpetiles, or the Amphibian and Reptile group of animals comprise snakes, newts and lizards.

Great crested newt      Triturus cristatus

A very common newt in the UK, but due to its rarity in Europe they are considered endangered and are granted special protection.

Great Crested Newt 1 (S)

Great Crested Newt 06 crop

It's an amphibian that regularly turns up in new locations, spending much of it's life actually out of water wandering about in search of new ponds.  The photograph above is a breeding newt in a pond, the photograph below was taken in the Forest of Dean in Autumn.

Great Crested Newt 3 (S)

I have undertaken several professional newt surveys (under licence) over the years, and one particular pond I visited had many eggs of the great crested newt.    Sadly, and typically, this pond is threatened by new housing development.  Although relocation is often touted as a solution, I have had little good feedback that it works over the years, and is really a sop to would-be protestors who know little of the lifestyle of the great crested newt.

Great Crested Newt embryo 05

Great Crested Newts lay their eggs on leaves, which the female then folds to protect the embryo.

Once this mission is done, the newts leave the pond.

Great Crested Newt  6 (S)

Smooth newt      Lissotriton (Triturus) vulgaris

A lovely example of a smooth newt that I caught in a newt trap during a licensed newt survey.

Smooth Newt 03

Smooth Newt 1 (S)

Palmate newt      Lissotriton helveticus

An adult palmate newt looking for a place to hibernate.  Found during my first ever paid newt survey back in 1997.

Palmate Newt 1 (S)

Alpine newt      Ichthyosaura (Triturus) alpestris

These newts were introduced to the UK and are now fluorishing in the south of England, especially near Guildford in Surrey.

A breeding male Alpine Newt in a pond. 

Alpine Newt 01

Alpine Newt 02

Alpine Newt 03

Marbled newt      Triturus marmoratus

These newts were deliberately released into the UK by amateur herpetologists and are now thought to be breeding.

These newts were found by a forest roadside just metres from a lake. 

Marbled Newt 01

Marbled Newt 02

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