# Found in garden. Can anyone identify?



## SevereCircle (Sep 10, 2011)

Hoping someone can identify this little creature found when moving logs from our garden in southern Germany.

http://http://i.imgur.com/VCJrk.jpg

Have not seen anything like it around here before. We believe it's a type of newt as has four toes on it's fore legs, but other than that know nothing about it. We have brought it inside as it's "house" under the wood has all been removed and there are lots of cats around here. the nearest stream is quite some distance away so want to know what the best thing we can do for it. Can they be kept as pets? Are the protected? Any help would really be appreciated.


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## mstypical (Feb 16, 2011)

Link broken, try photobucket?

Edit: Took the extra 'http' off and it worked. I've never seen anything like it someone more knowledgeable will surely be along soon


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## SevereCircle (Sep 10, 2011)

http://i.imgur.com/VCJrk.jpg

Sorry that link should work.


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## SevereCircle (Sep 10, 2011)

And here is some video of it...

Found in garden - YouTube

Our little girl thinks it's a baby night fury.


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## emmilllyyy (Oct 9, 2010)

it looks like a great crested newt to me, male  please put it back where you found it as they are protected!


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## tinyfish (Nov 11, 2008)

It appears to be a newt in its terrestrial stage, possibly _Lissotriton vulgaris_ (the most common sp in Germany) - does it look like the male in this photo (scroll down) Triturus vulgaris


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## kelsey7692 (Jul 28, 2010)

Looks like some kind of newt but it will depend on the species to whether or not it is protected. I would realise it back into the wild though


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## SevereCircle (Sep 10, 2011)

I really can't put it back where it was found. Basically we have been renovating the house for the past 2 years and the back garden was used to store off cuts of wood. We were clearing this area when we found it. If It's put back here it won't last 10 minutes as there's no hiding places and more cats than people. 

I understand we shouldn't have disturbed it but it was disturbed by moving all the wood. We can take it to the fields about 1km away but my concern is now it's getting very cold at night so would that really be the best thing for it or should it be hibernating already? (it's only going to be a couple of weeks before we go below freezing and we get temperatures dipping below -25 degrees in November/December...)


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## SevereCircle (Sep 10, 2011)

TinyFish..

Mystery solved! That's exactly what it looks like. We are some distance from the river but will take it tomorrow and let it free by the bank. Thanks for all your help.


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## emmilllyyy (Oct 9, 2010)

http://www.herpconstrust.org.uk/animals/smooth_newt.htm said:


> Smooth Newts are protected by law in Great Britain against being sold or traded in any way. In Northern Ireland they are fully protected this prohibiting killing, injuring, capturing, disturbance, possession or trade.


If I were you, I'd take it to the closest space of water where you would expect other newts to be, and hope the little guy makes it!


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## kelsey7692 (Jul 28, 2010)

...he lives in Southern Germany.


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## emmilllyyy (Oct 9, 2010)

oh, didn't read that bit! they're still protected though :whistling2:


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## kelsey7692 (Jul 28, 2010)

Yes they are, but not by the same laws that protect the ones within the UK (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981) so the laws that protect them within Germany may be slightly different


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## fardilis (Mar 22, 2011)

hiya
phibs *don't* get lost, just put it back where u found it

some newts such as gcn's are protected from being harmed, handled, touched, distroyed habitat of etc by europien law and any area with them imeiatly becomes protected and so if it is one then u have to leave it there and any work that will *ever* be done to the land cannot be done.


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## SevereCircle (Sep 10, 2011)

After getting advice from an expert at Stuttgart it was confirmed to be a male alpine newt. As it's native to Germany we gave it food and shelter for a couple of nights and released it back into the wild.

It certainly looked better after a few nights rest. 

When we found it it looked very dehydrated and was almost completely black. After we gave it shelter with some worms, water, etc it looked in must better condition, it's back markings stood out as yellow and it's belly was a fantastic orange colour.

Many thanks for everyones help, we feel privileged to have this kind of animal around us and to have actually seen and cared for it.


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## kelsey7692 (Jul 28, 2010)

SevereCircle said:


> After getting advice from an expert at Stuttgart it was confirmed to be a male alpine newt. As it's native to Germany we gave it food and shelter for a couple of nights and released it back into the wild.
> 
> It certainly looked better after a few nights rest.
> 
> ...


Thats great to hear!! Sounds like you did a really good job of taking care of it :2thumb:


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