Smooth Newt
Our Smooth Newt or Common Newt is Ireland’s Newt Species. Unlike Frogs, Newts do not lay huge clumps of eggs. Instead they lay a single egg on the inside of an aquatic plants leaf. They protect and hide the egg they role the leaf. Like other Amphibians such as our Frogs, Newts require clean pools of water with no pollution to survive and bred. After breeding Newts come back onto land to look for insects to eat. During breeding season males can develop a crest on their tail and their bellies will turn orange with spots. Like our Common Frog and Natterjack Road it is illegal to kill or sell these animals and it is protected under the Wildlife Acts (1976 and 2000).
