Newt Surveys

Great crested newts are protected under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations (2017) and Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). It is an offence to intentionally kill, injure or take great crested newts or intentionally or recklessly disturb great crested newts or damage, destroy or obstruct access to any place used by the animal for shelter or protection.

It is important to consider the presence of great crested newts within your site, especially if there are ponds nearby. Great crested newts only inhabit a pond for certain times of the year therefore land in the vicinity of a pond is equally as important.

Process for your site:

A preliminary ecological appraisal identifies the suitability of your site for great crested newts and advises further surveys.

Habitat Suitability Index Assessments are undertaken upon nearby ponds to determine likely use of those ponds for great crested newts.

A survey is undertaken on suitable ponds using a combination of bottle trapping, torchlight survey, egg searching and netting. eDNA can also be used in certain circumstances to detect presence of great crested newts through DNA testing of water samples.

Where great crested newts are present, a mitigation licence may be required. Our ecologists hold mitigation licences and can work with you to discuss and design appropriate schemes to successfully gain Natural England development licences.

Timing

Habitat Suitability Assessment : year round

Survey of waterbodies : mid-March – June (with half completed between mid-April and mid-May)