There are three native species of newt, smooth newt, palmate newt and great crested newt, although there have been cases where non-native species have been found in the wild.

The great crested newt is legally protected and should not be handled or disturbed.

The Field Studies Council(FSC)do an identification sheet that may help, it costs around £3.00, but if you have a photo, send it over and I will try and help.

They are amazing creatures, check out their biology, for example, they can regrow limbs, they do not have a waterproof skin, they do courtship dances in their breeding ponds, they do not regulate their body temperature so are the same temperature as their surroundings. Certain species secrete a pungent toxin when alarmed and they have individual belly patterns like a human finger print, there is much more…