Quote:
Originally Posted by Dogghound  This is a female great crested newt. They are heavily protected and you need a license to handle them. I would advise that you put it back where you found it to avoid getting into trouble. |
Hello wildlife fan,
You have every right to move the newt to a safe place as long as you release it straight away. This is a defence under the Habitat Regulations 1994, the primary act of legislation protecting this European Protected Species (the Wildlife and Countryside Act coming secondary):
Notwithstanding anything in regulation 39, a person shall not be guilty of an offence by reason of-
(a) the taking of a wild animal of a European protected species if he shows that the animal had been disabled otherwise than by his unlawful act and was taken solely for the purpose of tending it and releasing it when no longer disabled
Where a protected species is in distress or has the potential to be harmed, it makes perfect sense that you move it out of distress to a safe place. You can then call a suitably licensed person to come and collect it if the animal is injured and needs to be tendered.
You will find that if you call the RSPCA about a protected species the first thing they do is threaten you with the law. This has happened to several people I know. The Wildlife Trusts are also guilty for it.
A safe place to put the newt would be in the corner of you garden where the newt can bury itself under rocks, tree roots or vegetation etc. As someone said before, DON’T put it in a pond!
Newts don’t generally come out of hibernation till late Feb early March, weather depending. It is possible that the newt has been disturbed from its hibernacula or it is a bit confused after the recent cold snap now the weather has warmed up.
It is well worth letting the Wildlife Trust's or your local Biological Records Office (operated by the local council) know where and when you found the newt (if they threaten you with the law quote the above!).