The largest of the European Newts, Great Crested Newt gets his name from his magnificent crown that He grows during breeding season. He wants to impress Female Great Crested Newts at their breeding pond. When a Female shows interest, Great Crested Newt vibrates his tail and nuzzles Her. After mating, Mother Great Crested Newt carefully wraps each of her eggs in their own individual leaf.
Because He is slow moving, Great Crested Newt will eat anything that He can catch. Usually, He eats animals slower than Himself like Slugs and Snails. When He is on land, Great Crested Newt is alert for any movement along his pond’s edge. While underwater, He uses his sixth sense to detect vibrations in the water. To do this, Great Crested Newt uses a complex system of pressure-sensitive cells on his head and sides.
Great Crested Newt’s decline in recent times has caused concern for people in Europe. The United Kingdom has passed laws to strictly protect Great Crested Newt, making Him a priority species to conserve. The effort to stop Great Crested Newt’s extinction has inspired people to join in a massive effort. Local municipalities, naturalists, and conservation groups have banded together to survey He and His Friends. Others have established ponds and hospitable areas for Great Crested Newt and his Friends. Finding a pond of breeding Great Crested Newts is a cause for celebration for many people.
Great Crested Newt has inspired people to do great things on his behalf. Ordinary people have written letters to newspapers to let Great Crested Newt and his Friends be undisturbed in their small pond. Municipalities have begun providing a series of ‘love’ tunnels for Him to travel safely to his traditional breeding pond. Let Great Crested Newt inspire you to great things.
Great Crested Newt ! Warty Newt’s Teachings Include:
“When the newt appears, it heralds a time of successful ventures in creative and artistic endeavors. There is a promise of success of doing and acting upon what is truly yours. It will have the feel of finally coming home – of returning to whom you truly are.” Copyright: “Animal-Wise”, Ted Andrews.
Conservation Note: To learn more about the efforts to preserve Great Crested Newt, go to Froglife, “a charitable organisation that works to conserve the native amphibians and reptiles of Britain and Ireland, and is the secretariat to the Herpetofauna Groups of Britain and Ireland.” (Froglife offers “The Great Crested Newt Conservation Handbook”.)
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Va. Carper