Scientific name: Triturus cristatus
The Northern crested
newt measures between 14 and 18 cm in length, being quite a large
species amongst newts. Its back is black or dark-brown in colour,
while its belly is yellow with black spots. The crest is only present
in males. It is a species of amphibian that prefers open spaces, with
meadows and swamps, more rarely forests. The presence of humid
habitats with relatively shallow, clear water, with vegetation and
without fish is of paramount importance for reproduction. Except for
the mating season (approximately April - June), the Northern crested
newt has a terrestrial life.
It
is a vulnerable species, affected by the destruction, fragmentation
and degradation of its habitats caused by water capturing and
drainage.