Palmate Newt

Description

Available in A3, A4 and A5 framed and unframed

The palmate newt (Lissotriton helveticus) is a small, semi-aquatic amphibian found across western Europe, including the Iberian Peninsula. It thrives in a variety of habitats, from ponds and slow-moving streams to damp woodlands and grasslands. Typically growing up to 9 cm in length, it has smooth, brownish or olive-colored skin, often with darker speckles, and a pale yellow or orange underside. Males are particularly distinctive during the breeding season, developing webbed hind feet, a filamentous tail tip, and a subtle crest along their back, giving the species its name. Outside the breeding period, palmate newts spend much of their time on land, hiding under logs, stones, or leaf litter. They feed on small invertebrates, such as insects, worms, and aquatic larvae. Although adaptable and relatively widespread, they face threats from habitat destruction, pollution, and the loss of breeding ponds, making wetland conservation important for their continued survival in European ecosystems.