03 February 2024
Sarah Dyke, the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Somerton and Frome, gears up for her new role as the Species Champion for the Great Crested Newt. The Great Crested Newt has sadly suffered very significant declines and are now the UK’s rarest newt but can be found within Sarah’s constituency.
Their threats include the loss or isolation of suitable habitat, often due to agricultural, residential, industrial or commercial development, which is a leading cause of species decline, alongside poor site management or the removal of suitable breeding ponds. Sometimes, isolated populations utilise areas earmarked for development, like brownfield sites, which may mimic the structure of their former natural habitat – much of which has been lost.
To turn the fate of the Great Crested Newts around we need action. Alongside further protections into local and national policy, the creation and restoration of suitable breeding ponds and surrounding terrestrial habitats, connecting isolated populations, and improving public awareness and education are all vital steps required to secure the future of the Great Crested Newt in the UK.