Great Crested Newts

Our services

Desk study and data searches to establish whether there are known records;
Day time assessment of waterbodies including Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) score, searching for eggs on water-plants and pond-netting;
Night time surveys including bottle trapping and torching;
Terrestrial trapping for sites close to potential breeding ponds;
Provision of reports to accompany planning applications;
Design of translocations and obtaining DEFRA licences for them;
Design and creation of new receptor habitats, including ponds and hibernacula;
Erection and monitoring of temporary amphibian fencing;
Translocation of animals under DEFRA licence; and
Monitoring of populations to meet S106 and licence agreements.

Our capabilities

Great crested newts enjoy very high protection, and surveys which involve disturbing animals eg bottle trapping, netting or torching, must be undertaken by licensed personnel. We currently have 10 staff ecologists with licences to undertake great crested newt surveys, so we are able to cover large and complex sites with multiple water bodies. We also have a 10’ Avon inflatable and several certified boat-handlers, enabling us to carry out surveys on large and deep waters.

In addition, four senior staff members currently have experience of successfully obtaining DEFRA licences and managing translocations, and we are able to supply, erect, maintain and remove temporary exclusion and drift fencing and pitfall traps.

Timing of surveys

Surveys for great crested newt surveys are subject to tight restrictions as follows:

All aquatic surveys must be undertaken between mid-March and mid-June;
At least four survey visits must be undertaken to establish presence or absence, and a minimum of six to determine population size where great crested newts are found;
At least two of the survey visits must be carried out between mid-April and mid-May;
The water temperature for night time surveys must be at least 5°C and for torching there should be no/little wind and no rain; and
At least three survey methods must be employed and this must include torching or bottle trapping.

Click here for information on why a survey is required.