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Smooth newts look very similar to palmate newts but are more
widespread; they’re found throughout Britain and Ireland. Smooth
newts can not tolerate as dry conditions as palmate newts. Like
common frogs they are usually quite quick colonise garden ponds.
adults rarely exceed 10cm.
the back is usually a shade of brown or grey and the belly is
yellow/orange.
small black dots cover the belly and throat; there may be spots
or thin stripes on the back. During the breeding season males
develop a continuous wavy crest from head to tail.
fairly widespread but thought to be
declining; protected against trade/sale in Britain but have full
protection in Northern Ireland (killing, injuring,
capturing, disturbance, possession or trade).
Individual eggs are laid and wrapped up in the leaves of pond
plants, during spring (usually around April). Depending on local
weather conditions, two to four weeks later larvae (sometimes
called newt tadpoles) will hatch out. The larvae have
feathery gills around the head, distinguishing them from frog
and toad tadpoles. A couple of months after they hatch the
larvae start to grow their front legs (again, different from
frogs and toads), followed by the back legs. When they have
absorbed their gills, they leave the water as newtlets (or efts), usually
in summer.
Smooth newts spend the winter sheltering under rocks, in compost
heaps or buried down in mud. They don’t hibernate as such, and
may take advantage of milder patches of weather to come out and
forage.
Adult newts emerge from their overwintering sites in early
spring and head to a pond to breed. Males perform an elaborate
courtship dance before the eggs are laid. At this time of year
adult newts spend quite a lot of time in the water and will hunt
frog tadpoles. Later in the summer they can be found sheltering
under wood, rocks and paving slabs.
Loss of habitat.
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