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Smooth newt (Triturus vulgaris)Newts are amphibians and three kinds are found in Britain but only the Smooth newt is native to Northern Ireland. Mainly olive-brown with darker spots and streaks and orange and yellow underneath. They are called ‘Efts’ in some places and is sometimes mistaken for a lizard. In the spring the male has a crest which extends from head to tail. Eggs are laid on water plants and fastened to leaves by jelly. Tadpoles are more fishlike in shape and grow slower than those of frogs. Threats to Newts include direct loss of habitat such as infilling of breeding sites, fragmentation and unsympathetic habitat management. Habitat Size Protection Similar species Common frog (Rana temporaria)Frogs and Toads are called amphibians because they live both on land and in water. Frogs usually have a smooth skin, but some are rougher and might be mistaken for toads. They hibernate in holes and cavities in the ground, in stone walls and also in the mud of ponds. In very cold winters they do not usually stir from October to March. When frogs come out of hibernation they make for ponds and ditches, the female often seen carrying the male on her back as he grasps her with nuptial adaptations on his thumbs. Spawn is laid in jelly like masses often a yard or more across with several females laying close together. Thousands of eggs look like black dots that hatch into tadpoles in about a month. As spring advances tails are absorbed into the body, hind legs emerge and gills change to lungs as baby frogs ½ “ long begin to hop away. Habitat Size Diet Status Protection Similar Species Brown trout (Salmo trutta)The Brown trout is a beautiful freshwater member of the salmon family. It has the streamlined shape, square ended tail fin but unlike the silver of its anadromous relatives it has a patterning of large rich red brown or black haloed spots on its back and flanks. The brown trout are much smaller than Atlantic salmon and the clearer the water the more likely they are to be found. Size Habitat Diet Similar Species Status |