Using eDNA analysis for great crested newt surveys
The great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) is the largest and rarest newt to be found in the United Kingdom. In the last century the species has faced a large decline leading to them becoming a protected species in the UK and Europe. Great crested newts (GCN’s), their eggs, breeding sites and resting places are protected by law.
This makes it an offence to:
capture, kill, disturb or injure great crested newts deliberately.
damage or destroy a breeding or resting place.
obstruct access to their resting or sheltering places (deliberately or by not taking enough care).
possess, sell, control or transport live or dead newts, or parts of them.
take great crested newt eggs.
Due to their protected status, it is now often a requirement to survey for GCN when there are waterbodies within a certain radius of a development site as part of the planning application. Standard methods of ecological surveys include torch surveying, bottle traps and egg searches by licenced surveyors.
Environmental...