Great crested newts return to Somerset reserves thanks to pond restoration

Two Great Crested Newts swimming in a tub.

Our Green Estates Team has recently carried out surveys for great crested newts at 2 of our Local Nature Reserves, Berrow Dunes and Moldram’s Ground, and they were thrilled to find these protected species at both sites.

Great crested newts are protected at a European level, so the UK’s population is of international importance. There are 3 native species of newt in the UK and the great crested is by far the largest. Like other amphibians, it spends most of its time on land, in woodland, hedgerows and tussocky grassland, feeding on insects and other invertebrates.

By early spring, it will make its way to a pond to breed. The males develop a long wavy crest and puts on an extravagant display of courtship to woo the females. The females will typically lay 200 to 300 eggs in the water each spring, meticulously wrapping each one in a piece of vegetation for protection.

A member of the ranger team inspecting a Great Crested Newt swimming in a tub.

The ranger team at Berrow Dunes has been working hard over the winter to improve a pond, which had become completely overshaded by willow trees, and found it very gratifying to see that the great crested newts are using it.

After this year’s nesting season, work will continue to clear trees from some of the other ponds to reduce leaf-fall into the water and help to keep the ponds in good condition.

The rangers will also be encouraging visitors to keep their dogs out of the ponds. A serious threat to pond water quality is pollution from common flea and tick treatments. Treatments that contain Fipronil or Imidacloprid (used in most common spot-on treatments), are extremely potent and will kill any insect. They’ve already been banned in farming but are still used in veterinary medicine.

Dog owners are asked to keep their dogs out of ponds and waterways if they’ve been treated for fleas and ticks in the last 30 days, and to consider chemical-free alternatives instead such as flea-repellent collars.

Visit The Rivers Trust Flea-mergency page for more information about the impact these chemicals cause to our aquatic ecosystems.