Great Crested Newts declined substantially in Britain as a result of post-war agricultural intensification and were granted legal protection in 1981. Because they remain widespread, however, conflict between development and conservation has continued and an effective strategy for securing the long-term future of this species remains elusive.
It was one of those unforgettable childhood days. As I stared wide-eyed into the shallow water of a field drain, there it was, dark and motionless, the outline of my first ever and long-sought-after Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus.