Alpine Newt

A medium-sized amphibian native to continental Europe, from northwestern France to the Carpathians of Romania and from southern Denmark south to the Alps and just north of the Mediterranean, with isolated populations in Spain, Italy and Greece and introduced populations in Great Britain and New Zealand. It measures seven to twelve centimeters, with females slightly longer than males, and has a dark grey to bright blue back contrasting with an orange belly and throat; males grow more vividly colored and develop a low dorsal crest in the breeding season. It spends most of the year on land in deciduous or coniferous forest, returning to small, cool, often forested ponds, lakes or other still water, natural or human-made, to breed.