# Illegal to keep Crested Newts?



## Natonstan (Aug 9, 2008)

So Its illegal to have the Great crested newts in your possesion as they are endangered in the UK, does this mean If you have a pond on your garden and newts happen to have got in there and are reproducing, that your breaking the law, or does this just apply to if your taking them from there habitat and keeping them in a viv?


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## Joe1507 (Aug 11, 2008)

No it doesnt mean your breaking the law, but as soon as you touch them, you have broken the law, you need special license to be able to touch them...


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## Joe1507 (Aug 11, 2008)

...I would also consider you extremely lucky if you have some breeding in your pond...Amazing.


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## exoticsandtropics (Mar 11, 2007)

basically if you disturb them in ANY way you will probably be breaking the law. if you look for them with a torch you need a licence etc etc


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## spend_day (Apr 10, 2008)

Natonstan said:


> So Its illegal to have the Great crested newts in your possesion as they are endangered in the UK, does this mean If you have a pond on your garden and newts happen to have got in there and are reproducing, that your breaking the law, or does this just apply to if your taking them from there habitat and keeping them in a viv?


it's illegal to keep great crested in captivity, there's a difference between a closed off, escape proof outdoor enclosures and a garden pond (altho this isnt properly sited in the law)

pond count as "the wild" they arrived naturally ergo u have not interfered with them in anyway. if u took them from another pond and put them in your pond that technically breaking the law but a pain to prove if u were keeping them indoors on the other hand thats clearly illegal unless u can prove they are CB (which is pretty much impossible)

my auntie has them in her pond and breaks the law every couple of months the spring/summer by removing the duck weed lol (she does check the weed as she removes it and put any newts/eggs/larva back thus breaking the law again lol)


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## Natonstan (Aug 9, 2008)

Right thanks guys so as long as I dont disrupt them in any way im not breaking the law?


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## Joe1507 (Aug 11, 2008)

spend_day said:


> illegal to keep great crested in captivity, there's a difference unless u can prove they are CB (which is pretty much impossible)


 
If you can pick these guys up CB surely it would come with a certificate / paperwork...


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## exoticsandtropics (Mar 11, 2007)

yeah but there are regulations as to how you get them CB, or they are european


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## slippery42 (Mar 23, 2008)

Natonstan said:


> Right thanks guys so as long as I dont disrupt them in any way im not breaking the law?


Under the Wildlife & Countryside Act ANY disturbance to either GCN or its breeding site and associated terrestrial habitat becomes an offence.

Disturbance includes photography!!!!

In England you need a licence issued by Natural England to survey and disturb then, CCW in Wales and SNH for Scotland.

They can be kept in captivity provided they are proven captive bred.

There is at least one UK breeder who sells (legally) GCN eggs and has done so for a number of years without problems....

However those wishing to go down this route should be aware that it gets looked at very closely!!!

This photo would be classed as illegal if I did not hold a valid licence


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## Joe1507 (Aug 11, 2008)

how do you go about getting the license anyway.


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## exoticsandtropics (Mar 11, 2007)

contact natural england i believe. takes a bit of doing and you'll need referees as well


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## slippery42 (Mar 23, 2008)

Joe1507 said:


> how do you go about getting the license anyway.


You'll need to have been properly trained....join an Amphibian and Reptile Group (ARG)........get trained.....get someone to give you a ref and then apply for a licence.....

its takes quite some time


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

Unless the process has changed, you do not need any special training, belong to any particular groups or need references!!

It never ceases to amaze me the amount of misinformation bandied around about native species! 

Several years ago, I kept a trio of these newts, under licence. The licence was actually very simple to apply for - I wrote to English Nature, as they were then, was sent a form, which I filled out and returned and low and behold, the licence was posted to me. There were no costs involved, no need for "training" (and incidentally please could someone give the details of such training - you won't be able to as it does not exist, just as with the fictitious training for a DWAL), no need to belong to any particular reptile group. I was simply asked why I wanted the licence, what it was for (ie which part of the Wildlife and Countryside Act I wanted to be exempted from), and the reason why such an exemption was being applied for. In my case, it was because I had come across a population of crested newts which was unknown at that time, in a small river which was rapidly drying up. I was approved a licence to take a male and 2 females until the following year, when they were re-released.


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## slippery42 (Mar 23, 2008)

ian14 said:


> Unless the process has changed, you do not need any special training, belong to any particular groups or need references!!
> 
> It never ceases to amaze me the amount of misinformation bandied around about native species!
> 
> Several years ago, I kept a trio of these newts, under licence. The licence was actually very simple to apply for - I wrote to English Nature, as they were then, was sent a form, which I filled out and returned and low and behold, the licence was posted to me. There were no costs involved, no need for "training" (and incidentally please could someone give the details of such training - you won't be able to as it does not exist, just as with the fictitious training for a DWAL), no need to belong to any particular reptile group. I was simply asked why I wanted the licence, what it was for (ie which part of the Wildlife and Countryside Act I wanted to be exempted from), and the reason why such an exemption was being applied for. In my case, it was because I had come across a population of crested newts which was unknown at that time, in a small river which was rapidly drying up. I was approved a licence to take a male and 2 females until the following year, when they were re-released.


LAW
*Any disturbance of Great Crested Newts, whether by accident or on purpose, is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and the Conservation (Natural Habitats) regulations 1994. *

In order to hold a survey licence and legally disturb you DO need a licence from Natural England (if thats where you live).

Training IS required in order to demonstrate that surveying and as a result causing disturbance is not going to have an adverse effect on the conservation status of the species & _this will also help you avoid prosecution_.

The simplest and possibly least expensive way is to do surveying with an Amphibian and Reptile Group (ARG) who will have a licenced and EXPERIENCED surveyor with whom you can work/assist.

They do not just give away licences to anyone!

The Institute for Environmental and Ecological Management (IEEM) also do courses as do many private Ecological consultancies.

So I'm afraid in this case you are wrong about GCN training the key may be in the fact that you say this was quote "several years ago' and you mention English Nature...

You are correct that there is no requirement for training to obtain a DWAL.

There are people and shops who will offer you training though that's another kettle of fish!

Hope this helps?


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## Joe1507 (Aug 11, 2008)

Hmm Im confused?! do you need training anyway, and what is the training? I wouldnt mind doing training anyway...

I gess I have to be 18 anyway?


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## -matty-b- (Dec 13, 2007)

theres a pond near where i used to live and i think it had/has GCN in it and its a dump, and fished so is that classed as illegal???


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## slippery42 (Mar 23, 2008)

-matty-b- said:


> theres a pond near where i used to live and i think it had/has GCN in it and its a dump, and fished so is that classed as illegal???


If you mean is it illegal to introduce fish to a pond which has GCN's..yes totally illegal.

As a side line GCN's do not usually breed in ponds with fish!

And if you mean that whilst fishing you catch a GCN again that is a clear act of injuring and or disturbance and there an illegal act with the risk of a fine and or prison....


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## sean k (Dec 20, 2007)

*gcn*

there is training which needs to be done because i am a member of KRAG kent reptile amphibian group and i have been sent emails about getting training to help out with the great crested newt monertering project.

http://www.kentarg.org/content/view/45/74/


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