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Great Crested Newt (c) Jim Foster

Great Crested Newt
Triturus cristatus

The Great Crested Newt is one of the UK's rarest amphibians.  Like all amphibians it breeds in water but spends much of the rest of the year on land.

DESCRIPTION

Size: Adults can reach 16cm/6".

Colour: Dark brown/black back often with white-tipped warts.  The belly is bright orange with large black spots/blotches.

Markings: Black and orange striped toes.  Males have a white tail flash.  Sometimes the young have a yellow stripe down the back.

Identifying features:

  • Great Crested Newt (c) FroglifeWarty skin.

  • Males have a large jagged crest during the breeding season which lies flat on the body when the newt is on land.

  • Stripy toes and white-tipped warts.

  • Larger than any other newt species.

Diet: Slugs, worms and other invertebrates.

Breeding: Emerge from hibernation around March and breeding occurs usually April-May.  There is an elaborate courtship routine before mating; the eggs are laid and each one is folded in the leaves of floating or submerged marginal vegetation.

Habitat: Prefers fish-free ponds; hides under logs/stones during the day and forages at night.

Dislikes: Fish and other predators such as birds and water invertebrates.

CURRENT STATUS: Great Crested Newts and their habitats are fully protected by law and a special license is required to handle or work with them.

DISTRIBUTION: 
In your garden... Prefers large, established ponds with lots of vegetation and no fish, as well as deep ditches and canals.  Quite rare but not uncommon in garden ponds where local populations are high.
UK: Well distributed across lowland England and eastern Wales, rare or absent in most of Scotland. 

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