Amphibians

Of the six native species of amphibians in Britain four are found in the Elan Valley: the common frog, the common toad, the smooth newt and the palmate newt.

Common toad

Large wart behind eye. Warty, dry skin.

Common frog

Dark patch behind eye. Smooth, moist skin.

Frogs eat large numbers of molluscs such as slugs and snails, whilst insects provide the major part of the diet of Toads (particularly ants & beetles).

Smooth newts can be identified by their spotted white throat, whilst palmates have an unmarked pink throat.

Did you know that all newts have the ability to regenerate limbs if lost to predators or by accident?

All species of amphibian and reptile in the Elan Valley hibernate from about October to March.

Most male frogs hibernate in mud at the bottom of the breeding pond but generally all species hide in holes or crevices or under vegetation.

In spring they migrate to the breeding pond where mating occurs. Newts mate slightly later in early summer. The jelly-coated eggs are laid and must remain in water as they have no hard outer shell to prevent them from drying out. Tadpoles develop over the next few months and the young leave the site during the summer. Late-hatching young may remain in the pond over the winter.

Reptiles

Two of the six British species of reptile live in the area; the common lizard and the slow worm. The Elan has no snakes!

The widespread common lizard is found even on the highest moorland of the Elan. It is one of the world’s hardiest reptiles, occuring from the Arctic to the mountains of the Alps at 3,600 metres!

It grows up to 15cm long, half of which is the tail. Colour can vary but generally is grey to brown with rows of paler spots along the back.

The slow worm is often mistaken for a snake but, although legless, it is a lizard growing up to 45cm in length.

All lizards, including slow worms have the ability when seized by the tail to break it off and so escape predators!

Most reptiles lay eggs but the young of both the common lizard and slow worm are born alive in a transparent membrane which they break out of almost immediately. The litter, 5-10 in common lizard or up to 20 in the slow worm, are born in mid-summer.

Lizards eat insects and small invertebrates, especially grasshoppers and spiders. Slow worms feed on earthworms, slugs and snails.