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Quick answer
Amphibians form a vital part of the foodchain and in most cases
it's not necessary to interfere; trying to exclude predators can
do more harm than good.
Further
information
Amphibians form a crucial part of the diet of many wildlife
species so you can expect to see a number of predators in your
garden. Some amphibian predators, like grass snakes, have
disappeared from many parts of the UK where they once thrived;
having these animals in your garden is a privilege.
Adding a variety of places in your garden for amphibians to hide
when disturbed is the best long-term advice. Log piles,
rockeries, dense low-growing foliage and water bodies can all
provide places where amphibians can flee from natural predators.
Cats, however, can pose a persistent problem. While some cats
may ignore amphibians, others will catch, play with and
sometimes kill them. It can be difficult to exclude cats from a
garden so, again, increasing the amount of amphibian-friendly
habitat will help newts escape - especially habitats that cats
will have trouble getting their paws in to. 'Cat scarers' are
another alternative method to consider. We would advise that
pond-owners avoid using pond-netting. Sometimes the animals
you're trying to attract (like grass snakes or hedgehogs) can
become caught and die.
Making your garden
amphibian-friendly.
Just
Add Water - pond creation information.
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