Project: Great Crested Newt Survey near Peterborough

Client: Private Client

April 2010 to June 2010

Background

A sand and stone extraction site close to Peterborough was reported to support a population of great crested newts. The site was proposed for closure and EMEC Ecology was contracted to carry out a survey to establish the size of the newt population and provide recommendations for the site's restoration scheme.

Ecological Surveys Undertaken

EMEC Ecology carried out great crested newt surveys of nine water bodies within the site. The water bodies surveyed ranged from small shallow ponds up to large lakes. The surveys were undertaken to the standard methodology, involving six visits (as great crested newts were found to be present) using bottle trapping, netting, torchlight and egg searching survey techniques. The surveys were carried out between April and early June. A large population (over 100) of great crested newts was recorded. In addition a a large population of smooth newts and a medium sized population of palmate newts were also found to be present within the site.

Mitigation, Compensation and Enhancement Recommendations

The restoration scheme for the site involves returning the landscape to agricultural land. This would require the majority of the quarried site to be in-filled. EMEC Ecology incorporated the provision of replacement ponds into the restoration scheme and made recommendations to retain the ponds found to be of greatest value (i.e. where the highest numbers of newts were recorded) to breeding great crested newts. The scheme, when completed, is designed to ensure that the population of great crested newts will be retained and once the ponds have established the population should be expected to increase (due to a greater number of suitable ponds being present). Terrestrial enhancements are to include retained rocky areas, the creation of wide hedgerows and the construction of artificial hibernacula throughout the site.

Leucistic Great Crested Newts

During the surveys a number of pale great crested newts were recorded. These newts had reduced pigmentation in their skin, and therefore differ from albino forms, as some colour was present and their eyes were not pink. The newts were a sandy colour and therefore were considered to potentially have a competitive advantage (against predation by herons for example) over the dark, typical colouring of great crested newts, as they were camouflaged against the sandy substrate of the quarry ponds. This 'leucistic' form is unusual, however has been reported at other sites across the country.

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