Question 1

Is buying, selling & keeping of native amphibians legal in the UK?

Accepted Answer

There is a great deal of confusion around buying, selling and keeping of native amphibians and the legislation governing them in the uk. All native amphibians have varying levels of protection in the uk under the wildlife and countryside act 1981.

The four widespread species of amphibian, the smooth and palmate newts, common frog and common toad, are protected by Section 9(5) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This section prohibits sale, barter, exchange, transporting for sale and advertising to sell or to buy. Collection and keeping of these widespread amphibian species is not an offence.

However this only applies to 'wild animals'; these are defined as those that are living wild or were living wild before being captured or killed. It does not apply to captive bred animals being held in captivity. However, animals in gardens (e.g. newts in garden ponds) and captive bred animals that have since been released in to the wild are likely to be included in this definition and would be considered as wild.

Even the infamous great crested newt (triturus cristatus) can legally be bought, sold and kept in the uk, however due to its higher level of protection there is additional legislation in place even for captive bred animals, unlike the four common amphibian species where there isn't a set timeline on how old the original captive population needs to be. Only Great Crested newts from captive populations legally set up before the wildlife and countryside act 1981 and have been continually held captive since are permitted to buy, sell or keep. There's no specific paperwork or documentation for this so it's essential to ensure they are bought from a reputable breeder or supplier which can verify the origins of their newts beyond doubt and keep all correspondence between you and the seller regarding the sale/purchase of the newts so they can be traced back and their origin verified if called into question. Another way of ensuring Great crested newts are from legal captive stock is if they're different colour morphs like albinos and leusistics. These would of course be incredibly rare in the wild and these morphs being hereditary is strong evidence of a long line of captive breeding and are unlikely to be called into question.

Question 2

Does my wildlife pond need a filter/pump/airstone?

Accepted Answer

Filtration in a wildlife pond certainly isn't essential, especially if there's no fish or only small species like Sticklebacks. A healthy ecosystem of plants and invertebrates is usually sufficent to keep the pond clean and healthy without filtration and many pond pumps are quite powerful, sucking in aquatic insects, tadpoles and newt larvae that get close to them. Most wildlife ponds will be fine without an airpump/air stone as long as there is oxygenating plants but adding an air stone for additional oxygen, especially in warmer weather  is always beneficial. The more oxygen in a pond the better, not just for the main inhabitants but also the good bacteria that helps to breakdown waste. Even a small solar powered air pump can make a big difference.

Question 3

Is a wildlife pond best with or without fish?

Accepted Answer

Wildlife ponds do best without fish but if you do want fish in the pond, small species like Minnows and Sticklebacks are best and wont have too much impact on the overall ecosystem. Adding parts the fish can't access like shallow marshy areas or rock piles where invertebrates can hide from them will also help. While Koi and Goldfish are popular pond fish, they aren't suited to all but the largest wildlife ponds as they will eat everything from snails and invertebrates to plants, tadpoles, newt larvae and even froglets and quickly cause the collapse of the ecosystem. Adult frogs may still use the pond but the presence of large fish will discourage them from breeding and newts will likely avoid it all together.

Question 4

What's the best species to add to create a healthy, self sustaining ecosystem in my pond?

Accepted Answer

PLANTS : Plants form the base of the pond ecosystem so a good mix of them is essential, not just as a food source but as structure and hiding places for the other inhabitants. Water forget me not, Water mint, Reedmace, Water cress, Lillies and some floating plants like Water chestnut and Frogbit are all a great start.

INVERTEBRATES : The next stage in the food chain after plants is the invertebrates. Not only as food but as cleaners helping to breakdown waste and prevent build ups of dead leaves and algae. A mix of Pond snails, Water louse, Gammarus shrimp, Tubifex worms and Daphnia are all an excellent start. Freshwater mussels like Swan, Duck,  Painters and Pea mussels are also beneficial for clearing green or murky water.

Question 5

How do I attract amphibians and encourage them to stay in my pond?

Accepted Answer

Amphibians often take pride of place in a wildlife pond and are a sign you have created a healthy, thriving ecosystem. A pond of any size can benefit amphibians and many like frogs and Palmate newts prefer smaller ponds as they usually contain less predators. Well planted ponds with lots of hiding places both in the pond and around it will encourage them to stay. Rocks, logs, a compost heap or piles of leaves and branches near the pond, will provide safety from predators and attract insects for them to feed on. Frogs and toads unlike newts, can't eat under water so ensuring insect life on the land around the pond is essential for them. Leaving some fruit out near the pond or their hiding places will attract insects and bring worms out of the ground at night for them. Toads and newts hibernate on land under logpiles or underground but frogs usually hibernate in the water. They prefer running water that doesn't fully freeze over to do this so if you don't already have a pump or airstone, adding one through the winter to keep a space free of ice will help them hibernate successfully.

Wildlife Pond and Aquarium

FAQ's

Is buying, selling & keeping of native amphibians legal in the UK?

Does my wildlife pond need a filter/pump/airstone?

Is a wildlife pond best with or without fish?

What's the best species to add to create a healthy, self sustaining ecosystem in my pond?

How do I attract amphibians and encourage them to stay in my pond?

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