| Pond
Life |
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| Ponds
are a haven for all sorts of wildlife |
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Ponds
are a haven for all sorts of wildlife, including dragonflies, beetles,
and the Great Crested Newt - the UK's largest species of newt. |
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A well-designed
garden pond is capable of supporting a great diversity of plants and
invertebrates
and high populations of amphibians.
We don't know how many garden ponds there are in this country, but
building them is becoming increasingly popular.
Invertebrate
life can be abundant and diverse. Snails, damselflies, dragonflies,
water beetles and crustaceans can be found.
Invertebrates may be introduced deliberately or with pond vegetation.
However, given the efficient dispersal mechanisms of many freshwater
invertebrates, colonisation may begin within an hour of a pond's creation.
Ponds can also support fish - usually goldfish and other ornamental
species - but sticklebacks may also be present.
Garden ponds are now important breeding habitats for common newts
and common frogs. Larger ponds may support breeding populations of
toads or great crested newts.
What's so great about the Great Crested Newt?
It's the largest of our three native newts, growing to about 15cm
long (a Common Newt is only two thirds of this size).
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| Male
(top) and female Great Crested Newts |
Great Crested Newts are dark - often black - patterned, with small
white spots and orange bellies. Males develop a high serrated crest
during the mating season (April/May) and have a white flash running
along their tails.
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How
to make your neighbourhood more 'newt friendly'.
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- Build
a pond, or get involved in any pond restoration projects
in your area
- Keep
fish out of your pond
- Help
the Wildlife Trust with their Great Crested Newt surveys
- contact the Trust for training details.
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Biodiversity Action Plan
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s Biodiversity Partnership promotes
the importance of conserving our species and habitats. Cambridgeshire
local authorities, Peterborough City Council, English Nature, the
Environment Agency, RSPB, the Wildlife Trust and Anglian Water are
all members of this partnership.
Biodiversity is described as ‘the WOW factor – the Wealth of Wildlife
that surrounds us’.
The Biodiversity Partnership has prepared Biodiversity Action Plans
for key species and habitats. These plans include a set of actions
that a number of organisations have agreed to carry out to conserve
our wildlife. The plan for the Great Crested Newt will focus everyone’s
attention on actions that will help the newt to survive in Cambridgeshire
and Peterborough.
Now take part in our survey
More about Song Thrushes >>
More about Pipistrelle Bats >>
The
BBC Cambridgeshire Action Desk has free copies of the following
leaflets:
- BBC
Wild Britain
- The
Song Thrush
- The
Pipistrelle Bat
- Great
Crested Newts
- Sample
copies of BBC Wildlife Magazine
If you
would like any of the above, please contact the Action Desk on 0845
300 10 90 or send an email to: cambs.action@bbc.co.uk
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