Reptile
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🦎
Size
8–11 cm (including tail)About as long as your finger
Weight
1–4 gLighter than a small coin
Lifespan
Up to 6 years in the wild, sometimes longer
Rarity
Common
M vs F
Breeding males develop a wavy crest along the back and tail plus spotted markings; females are plainer and lack the crest
Habitat
Ponds and still water in spring for breeding; damp grassland, log piles and compost heaps the rest of the year
Best time
March–June in ponds during the breeding season; found on land, often hidden, the rest of the year
Conservation
LC
💡 Did you know?
Male Smooth Newts grow a wavy, dragon-like crest along their back in spring to impress females!
Smooth Newts spend most of the year on land hiding under logs and stones, only returning to water each spring to breed — a pond with no newts visible in summer may still be home to many in winter.
Often confused with
Palmate Newt (smaller
males have a tail filament
more common in acidic upland water)
Great Crested Newt (much larger
darker
warty skin
protected species)
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