Great Crested Newt Surveys

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Great Crested Newts

Great Crested Newt (GCN) Triturus cristatus are legally protected as European Protected Species, under the European Habitats Directive and protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.

All GCN are therefore protected, making it an offence to:  

  • Deliberately capture, injure, or kill a GCN
  • Deliberately disturb a GCN in a way that is likely to impair its ability to survive, breed, or reproduce, this includes GCN eggs
  • Damage or destroy a resting or breeding place

GCN can be affected by works including:

  • Developments that remove or impact ponds or other aquatic features within or near a site, this can include terrestrial habitats near a pond

The best time of year to conduct surveys can be found in our ecology calendar.

If your Preliminary Ecological Appraisal has highlighted concerns about GCN within your site - you may need the surveys listed down below:

Adonis Blue will work with you to carry out the necessary surveys for your site.

GCN Surveys

Here are the main types of GCN surveys used in development contexts:

Habitat Suitability Index (HSI)

  • Purpose: To determine if any identified ponds are suitable to support great crested newts. It does not confirm presence or absence
  • Method: Conducted by using ten standard habitat variables for the pond and surrounding terrestrial habitat and combining them using the geometric mean to estimate overall suitability for the species
  • Timings: Any time of the year, however it is advised to carry them out within peak breeding times (mid March - Mid June)
  • Number of surveys: 1 visit, this is normally done with the Preliminary Ecological Appraisal

eDNA

  • Purpose: Confirm the status of great created newt through the presence or absence of their DNA
  • Method: One survey kit per pond, 20 water samples from each pond, spread out evenly around the pond edge. The kit is then sent to a lab for testing
  • Timings: Between 15 April and 30 June each year
  • Number of surveys: Depends on the number of ponds, normally 1 visit

Presence/Absence

  • Purpose: To determine the presence or likely absence of GCN
  • Traditional method: includes using at least three of the below methods: bottle trapping, torchlight, netting, terrestrial searches and egg searches
  • Timings: Mid-March to Mid-June, Optimal survey conditions are between 9-18°c, with no heavy winds or rain. Four surveys are needed to prove absence (one survey = one evening and following morning visit), when GCN are present an additional two surveys are required to assess population numbers

District Licence

Some planning authorities now hold district-wide licenses that allow strategic delivery of GCN conservation. If your site is likely to impact GCN this is an alternative to the mitigation licence and traditional presence/absence surveys.

Securing a licence can be a faster and cheaper way to proceed with a planning application. Our ecologists can advise you whether this or eDNA surveys detailed above are most appropriate for you.

Obtain a protected species license

To obtain a great crested newt licence for development, you need to apply for a great created newt mitigation licence from the relevant statutory nature conservation body.

This licence may be required if your development will disturb great crested newts or impair its ability to survive, breed, or reproduce.

Our team can help you secure a great crested newt migration licence and ensure all necessary mitigation is done.