Great Crested Newts are a protected species in Europe and the United Kingdom, they are protected by law. The Great Crested Newts are threatened nationally they can be found in England and Wales and Southern Scotland. The newts have declined dramatically in numbers over the past few years, mainly due to the destruction or fragmentation of their natural habitat. This includes the decline and destruction of the small ponds that Great Crested Newts use as breeding pools.
Great Crested Newts actually spend most of their time on land, before making their way to the breeding ponds in April and May. They are quite fussy about the breeding ponds that they use, they have quite specific needs that have to be present before they will consider using the pond. The ponds need to be free of fish, nutrient rich and have areas of open water, but good shaded cover on the outside edges of the pond. The females will lay their eggs on the leaves of pond plants underwater to protect the eggs.
Due to the water table reduction and some ponds being in-filled for agricultural reasons the types of habitat that are suitable for the Great Crested Newt to breed in are becoming rare. If you have noticed any Great Crested Newts on any land that you own you could play your part in the conservation efforts if you so wish. Creation of ponds suitable for the newts to breed in is a great start, but also the surrounding habitat has to be restored to that of the natural habitat of the newts as they spend a great majority of their life out of the water and on land, they need small wooded areas or wood piles to take shelter under. You will find that there are some sources of grants and funding to enable you to do this important conservation work.
Great Crested Newts are so important that if any building development work has started and the newts are found to be inhabiting part of the land that is to be developed work has to stop immediately. A survey would then need to take place to work out the best course of action for the newts, remember it is against the law and an offence to disturb any breeding sites of Great Crested Newts.
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