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Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

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Table 3 – Amphibians associated with fens<br />

Name Scientific name<br />

Great crested<br />

newt<br />

Palmate &<br />

smooth newt<br />

Protection in<br />

law / policy<br />

Triturus cristatus Conservation<br />

Regulations<br />

Wildlife &<br />

Countryside Act<br />

(full protection)<br />

UKBAP Priority<br />

Species<br />

Lissotriton<br />

helveticus<br />

Lissotriton vulgaris<br />

Wildlife &<br />

Countryside Act<br />

(protection from<br />

sale only)<br />

Common toad Bufo bufo Wildlife &<br />

Countryside Act<br />

(protection from<br />

sale only)<br />

UKBAP Priority<br />

Species<br />

Common frog Rana temporaria Wildlife &<br />

Countryside Act<br />

(protection from<br />

sale only)<br />

Pool frog Rana lessonae Conservation<br />

Regulations<br />

UKBAP Priority<br />

Species<br />

Preferred habitat<br />

Ponds of all sizes, usually devoid of fish and<br />

with plenty of weed cover, adjacent to rough<br />

grassland, scrub and/or woodland.<br />

Full range of water bodies. Fish and occasional<br />

drying out of the water body can be tolerated to<br />

a certain degree but predation on larvae by fish<br />

is still a significant factor.<br />

Landscapes dominated by rough grassland<br />

contain the highest proportion of breeding sites<br />

occupied by Smooth Newts.<br />

The distributions of the two species overlap.<br />

Palmate Newts have a more western and<br />

northern distribution and as a consequence<br />

tend to be found more in upland habitats<br />

than Smooth Newts. Palmate newts are more<br />

tolerant than Smooth Newts of low pH water.<br />

Preferred habitats include rough grassland,<br />

scrub and open woodland. Within these areas<br />

large permanent water bodies are generally<br />

required. Optimum pond size is around 1000<br />

square metres, with a good cover of emergent<br />

and submerged vegetation.<br />

Seem to prefer fish ponds as breeding sites<br />

which may possibly be attributable to the lack of<br />

competition from Common frogs.<br />

Breed in the shallows of a full range of water<br />

body sizes. They tend to use small (

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