I have newts - do I need to tell anyone?

Background first
A few years ago a friend brought a lake in order to set up a fishing site. However, someone found greater crested nexts on the lake, and he had his permit pulled and then had to fill in vast amounts of paper work and had people come and inspct it fairly often.

Now my question:

I have ben poking around my new garden and what I thought was a vast sprawl of irises or some similar looking plant actually turns out to be an ancient horse trough like device partially sunk into the ground. it is maybe 6 foot by 6 foot.

I saw something slowly wandering about around the edge ( not in the water itself ) and found it to be a newt. It's fairly small with an orange belly with blotches on it.

It has no crest, but a google search suggests that this does not rule said newt out from being a greater crested newt.

So now I'm wondering what I should do? Do I invesitagate further, or not dig myself into a hole? And if I do investigate, and confirm greater crested newt variety, then do I need to tell someone? And if so, who? And will they make me do lots of paperwork?

I'm thinking the wisest thing is to do nothing and just leave them alone?

Steve

 

I would leave them alone as before. The last thing you want are to get conservation folk involved...... The trouble they cause with the likes of bats is unreal heaven knows what theyd be like over newts!!!!!

 

I too would leave them-interfere as little as possible and enjoy them. You`re very lucky

 

I would leave them alone, if it was a Great Crested Newt it will not have a crest until spring, just a slightly raised line along the back. There is quite a difference between the Crested and the other two size being the main one. You need a licence to even touch one so I think you might as well leave them alone as the others here say, unless you WANT a lot of hassle.

 

Yep keep it to yourself,send us a picture in spring when they are breeding and we can identify them most likely they will be common newts as Strongy says the greater crested is quite impressive size wise.

 

and don't tell anybody where you live

 

You are so lucky.