Eastern Newt

Eastern Newts are aquatic species that live in the sloughs of Rondeau.

Newts go through three life stages after hatching from their egg.

They begin as aquatic larvae with feathery gills, a flat tail, and olive coloured smooth skin.

At this stage they are approximately 7-9 millimetres long and they stay this way for approximately 2 to 5 months.

From the larvae stage they metamorphosize into a Terrestrial Red Eft.

At this stage they have bright orange/red rough skin, black bordered red spots, and a rounded tail.

They are 3 and a half to 4 and a half centimetres long and last this way for up to 7 years.

Finally, they transition to their aquatic adult stage which they will continue to be for the remaining 8-10 years of their life.

At this phase, they have a yellow belly with black spots, a horizontal pupil, black bordered red spots, and a flatter tail.

They are also 7-12 centimetres in length.

Newts are also poisonous at all stages of their life - their brightly coloured skin acts as a warning sign to all predators.