Our largest newt, the great crested newt was once common across Britain but is now a protected species threatened by habitat loss.
Great crested newts are also known as the 'northern crested newt' and the 'warty newt'.
Great crested newt facts
Scientific name: Triturus cristatus
Family: Salamandridae
Diet: Insects, worms, slugs, and spiders. They also eat small amphibians, tadpoles, and occasionally other newts
Predators: Birds, fish, snakes, and mammals like hedgehogs and foxes
Size: 14-17 cm
Lifespan: 10-15 years
About great crested newts
Native to the UK, great crested newts have been around for around 40 million years. They’re spread across England and Wales, but their distribution is patchy, and populations are declining.
This distinctive species is known for its rough, warty skin and vibrant orange belly with black spots. Their prominent wavy crest makes them unique among newts in the UK, looking somewhat like a small dinosaur.
They spend most of their time on land, in forested lowland areas, and migrate to water for the breeding season. During winter, they hibernate underground in old walls or tree roots.
The great crested newt’s lifecycle begins with the mating season in the spring. From March to June, male newts perform impressive courtship dances and develop a jagged crest along their back and tail.
Female newts then lay between 200-400 eggs underwater, carefully folding each egg into a leaf for protection. After 2-3 weeks, the eggs hatch into larvae, which resemble miniature newts with external gills.
Over the summer, the larvae grow and undergo metamorphosis, losing their gills and developing lungs to become juvenile newts (efts), leaving the water to begin their terrestrial phase. They reach sexual maturity at around 2-4 years of age.
What do great crested newts look like?
Great crested newts are recognisable by their dark – almost black – warty skin and a striking orange underside with unique black spots. Like fingerprints, each spot is different.
They grow up to 15cm long, but females are slightly larger. Males have a long, wavy crest that runs along their back to the tail and becomes more pronounced during the breeding season.
Differences between male and female great crested newts
Males: They have a prominent, jagged crest that runs from their head to their tail. Males also have a silver-blue stripe along the tail.
Females: Females lack the dorsal crest and are generally larger with a more rounded body. They retain a smoother tail with a yellow-orange stripe along the sides.
What do great crested newt larvae look like?
Newt larvae, called efts, have a pale, almost translucent body with visible external gills resembling feathery tufts on either side of their head. As they grow, the larvae develop the characteristic dark colouring and orange belly of the adults.
Great crested newts are opportunistic feeders, preying on a variety of invertebrates both in water and on land.
Their diet includes worms, insects, larvae, small molluscs, and other small creatures. They have also been known to consume smaller amphibians and even cannibalise smaller newts or their own young in times of difficulty.
Where do great crested newts live?
Great crested newts are found across lowland Britain but are absent from Ireland. In the last century, populations have suffered across Europe, mainly as a result of habitat loss.
These newts require still or slow-moving water bodies for breeding, typically ponds or canals that are rich in vegetation. Outside of the breeding season, they favour damp areas with plenty of cover, such as hedgerows, grasslands, or woodlands.
Threats to great crested newts
These newts are a protected species in Europe. This means that the newts, their eggs, breeding grounds and habitats are protected by law, and you're not allowed to disturb them, unless you have a licence from Natural England.
Last Edited: 07 November 2024
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