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A pdf version of this document is linked below.
The great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) is fully protected by law. Great crested newts often occur on land subject to development threats, and if development proceeds, a mitigation plan is frequently implemented. Typically, such mitigation involves the capture and exclusion of newts, and their removal to areas that have been subject to habitat creation, enhancement or restoration.
Previous reviews of mitigation projects have all highlighted the need for more rigorous pre- and post-development monitoring of great crested newts (Oldham and others, 1991; Edgar & Griffiths, 2005). Comparing the population status of great crested newts pre- and post-development – as well as comparing population status between different sites – is often difficult because of the lack of standardised survey protocols. This research was designed to overcome methodological and data deficiency problems by undertaking standardised population estimates at a range of mitigation sites.