I found a newt at school today in the playground

[ipreferaflan]

My friend disturbed a tiny little smooth newt from hibernation a couple of years ago, when he was demolishing a wall.
There was no way he was gonna survive the winter, so I took him and kept him in my room. He was so cute. I called him Isaac and released him the following summer.
I wouldn't've cared if that was illegal or not. I was looking after him, and I'm pretty sure the winter would've killed him.

[hedgehog738]

i think newts are pretty cool. i have 2 fire bellies but i have never seen any in the wild.

[Pimperella]

I think most people don't know what newt is what so it's easier to just tell people to leave alone or contact their local conservation society, that way people don't end up being up the creek.
Yes, Crested newts are highly protected and they seriously do come down on people for disturbing them or their habit.

I used to be involved in Newt counting as a kid with our local Conservation Society. Monitoring populations etc.
And yes, in winter they won't be near ponds at all and will more likely to be found under rocks and walls hybinating.
Putting one into an ice cold pond at this time of year would more than likely kill it.

However, I would also like to know what Licence they claim to have.

[Gaz_dbd]

as a kid i used to collect some from a pond and look after them in a tank

they were smooth newts from what i remember and this was about 8-10 years ago

[Saedcantas]

Originally Posted by Spuddy

yeah i believe you can purchase several species of newts, some which will most rpobably be able to live in a pond, whether they will stay there or not is probably a different story lol.

Just to highlight.

Exotic newt species or captive bred native species (which may have aquired diseases, parasites etc while kept in captivity) cannot be legally released into your pond, this is "release of non-native species to the wild" and is a serious threat to our native amphibians.

[kettykev]

My friend has all 3 native species in his pond and this week some GCN males have returned to the pond and seem to be waiting for females to arrive.

[rob-stl-07]

Originally Posted by ipreferaflan

My friend disturbed a tiny little smooth newt from hibernation a couple of years ago, when he was demolishing a wall.
There was no way he was gonna survive the winter, so I took him and kept him in my room. He was so cute. I called him Isaac and released him the following summer.
I wouldn't've cared if that was illegal or not. I was looking after him, and I'm pretty sure the winter would've killed him.

hmmm, from this info every specimen must live for 3 seasons than die?
taking it and not letting it hibernate is against nature - the newt needs the stimulation to be able to breed, and you may have disrupted its whole "timetable".
Rob

[ipreferaflan]

Oh no, it was winter when he was disturbed. He wouldn't have gone back into hibernation after waking up. There would have been no food for him, and it would have been much too cold. It was either let him die or look after him for winter. Needless to say I chose the latter.

[Alex M]

Who's the chap with the 'licence'? You can PM me if you prefer. I assume he's based in Dorset, and if so, i may well know him as i've done quite alot of conservation work in conjunction with the BHS/HCT/Natural England over the years (although not alot over the last 2 or 3). I'm sure i would likely know him or know of him, am just a tad curious .

[rob-stl-07]

Originally Posted by ipreferaflan

Oh no, it was winter when he was disturbed. He wouldn't have gone back into hibernation after waking up. There would have been no food for him, and it would have been much too cold. It was either let him die or look after him for winter. Needless to say I chose the latter.

oh sorry - thought you found it whilst it was hibernating and picked it up. like took it away.