Alpine Newt
Ichthyosaura alpestris
About This Species
Breeds in still or slow-moving ponds, ditches, and mountain pools across much of Europe, where breeding males develop a strikingly colourful blue, orange, and spotted pattern that is absent for the rest of the year. Spring, when adults return to water to breed, is the best time to see them, particularly at night or around dusk with a torch shone gently into shallow water. Outside the breeding season, they live on land under logs, stones, or leaf litter and are far harder to find.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Viewing from the pond edge without entering the water is enough to see breeding adults, since torchlight from the bank usually reveals them without any need for handling.
- Amphibian protection status varies by country across its European range, with some populations more strictly protected than others, so check local rules before disturbing pond habitat.
- Avoid netting or handling individuals, and never move newts between ponds, since this can spread disease between populations.
LCAmphibiaCaudataSalamandridae
Seasonal Activity
227,695 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Amphibia
- Order
- Caudata
- Family
- Salamandridae
Photo
(c) Paul Cools, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Paul Cools
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.