lizard or newt?

poppykim · #1 (**permalink**) 10-07-2009, 01:26 PM

my mom found this cute thing in the garden under a pile of rubble, we're not too sure what is it. if it is a newt it's gone far away from water, there is a canal about a mile and a half away.
i wouldn't have picked it up but we have a massive ditch in our garden which has filled with water due to rain, and the local soil is very toxic. so didn't want it getting to any harm, wouldn't be good for a newt or lizard.

it's orangey-brown with dark lines running from it's eyes all the way to it's tail tip, it's belly is quite a bright orange.

it's barely 4/5cm long

thank you for any replies,

poppy x

Adam Cheeseman · #2 (**permalink**) 10-07-2009, 02:48 PM

It's a young Smooth Newt.

Cheers,

Adam

Kayleigh · #3 (**permalink**) 10-07-2009, 06:20 PM

seconded

Ukwildlifeo · #4 (**permalink**) 10-07-2009, 06:32 PM

Could be palmate newt too but its newt for sure

marvin · #5 (**permalink**) 10-07-2009, 06:38 PM

hi

it could be a palmate but the dorsal stripe starting high and fading just below the neck suggests smooth to me.

cheers
tim

Naturenutz · #6 (**permalink**) 11-07-2009, 09:47 AM

hi,poppy,There must be a pond or another water body nearby,they leave the water during the summer and return in spring but they do not often move far from where they breed,often only a few yards and they look for a damp sheltered area ,eg under stones or logs. I have seen newts in ditches and this may have been where it originally came from,someone may confirm this but i think they live quite happy in acidic water and are quite hardy as ive seen them in some quite polluted ditches etc.As yours is a young one it is almost certainly from somewhere very nearby.