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Native Newts in the UK are typically found in ponds and their surrounding boggy areas. They’re most commonly discovered in the spring and summer- will you be on the look out for them this season? Here’s what to seek for:

• Great Crested Newt

This specific species is protected by law in the UK. This means you cannot own or sell them and cannot disturb them or their habitat. Great crested newts have a rough, dark brown appearance with bright orange blotches on their underside. Males of this species have crests along their back with a white tip whereas females have a yellow tip.

• Smooth Newt

A smooth newt is also a protected species but is the most commonly found newt in the UK. Typically, smooth newts are brown in colour and can grow to a length of 10cm. Both sexes of this newt have orange under belly’s and possess small black spots.

• Palmate Newt

The final native newt in the UK is the Palmate newt which are most frequently found in shallow ponds on acid-rich soils. The appearance of this species is immensely similar to that of the smooth newt; however, the most identifiable difference is that the spots on the Palmate do not continue under their throat. Instead, this feature comprises of either a plain pink or a yellow colour.