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Common newt (Lissotriton vulgaris)

The common newt has established in south-eastern Australia, the first recorded caudate amphibian to establish beyond its native range in the Southern Hemisphere. Its potential toxicity and possible effects on native wetland wildlife make it important to report and manage sightings carefully.

Key facts

Type: Pest animal, amphibian.

Native to: Europe and parts of western Asia.

Established in: VIC.

Other names: European newt, Smooth newt, European smooth newt.

Best time to act: Survey and carry out approved removal during the local breeding period, when adults and larvae are concentrated in water; timing varies with site and climate.

Identification

  • Adults are slender, usually about 7 to 10 cm long including the tail.
  • The back is generally olive, brown or grey, and the belly is orange with dark spots.
  • Breeding males develop a wavy crest along the back and tail; females lack this crest.
  • Larvae have external feathery gills, four developing limbs and a finned tail.
  • Adults retain a tail, unlike adult frogs.
  • Look-alike: A skink may look similar at a glance, but has dry, scaled skin rather than the newt’s smooth, moist skin.
  • Look-alike: A tadpole has no limbs at first and does not develop into a tailed adult.

Where it lives

In Australia it has been detected in south-eastern Australia; it breeds in freshwater ponds and other still or slow-moving waters and can use damp terrestrial cover nearby.

Why it matters

  • The species is potentially toxic, so ingestion may pose a risk to predators and it should not be handled bare-handed.
  • As a predator of small aquatic animals, it could affect native wetland food webs or compete with native species.
  • Its biodiversity impacts in Australia require further assessment.

How it spreads

  • It was available in the Australian pet trade for decades before being declared a controlled pest animal in 1997; the Australian invasion likely began through the release or escape of captive animals.
  • Newts can move between nearby breeding waters, and people can spread them by moving animals, eggs, water or aquatic material between sites.
  • Do not release captive newts or transfer water or aquatic plants between waterbodies.

Control methods

  • Report suspected sightings promptly to the relevant state or territory biosecurity agency and follow its advice before handling or trapping newts.
  • Where approved, use trained physical removal methods for adults and larvae; do not relocate or release captured animals.
  • Repeat surveys and follow-up removal, including checks for larvae and nearby waterbodies, because missed animals can remain.
  • Use only agency-approved control methods and protect native amphibians during survey and removal.

Site hygiene and welfare

  • Clean and disinfect boots, nets, buckets, boats and other equipment between waterbodies, removing mud and plant material first.
  • Drain water away from waterways and dry equipment before using it at another site.
  • Use methods set out in the national model codes of practice and standard operating procedures for the species.
  • Coordinate control with neighbours and the local government biosecurity plan, as isolated effort is quickly undone by reinvasion.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Prohibited matter. Report it to Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23 within 24 hours and do not move or deal with it. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Prohibited dealing. All dealings are prohibited in NSW, so it must not be kept, bred, sold, moved or released. Report any sighting to NSW DPIRD. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Prohibited pest animal. It is a prohibited pest animal in Victoria. The Victorian Government is responsible for controlling it, so report any sighting to Agriculture Victoria.
  • South Australia: Not declared. Not declared under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. Other laws may still apply.
  • Western Australia: Declared pest (C1), prohibited. C1 Exclusion: to be kept out of WA, or out of the parts of WA where it is not established. Report any sighting to DPIRD. It must not be brought into WA (prohibited organism).
  • Tasmania: Not a declared pest. Not a declared pest or prohibited matter in Tasmania. Importing animals is still controlled by Biosecurity Tasmania.
  • Northern Territory: Prohibited entrant. Wildlife that is not native to the NT is a prohibited entrant, so you need an NT permit to bring it in or keep it. Report any wild sighting to the NT Government.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria

Sources