Great Crested Newt

In spring, male great crested newts grow a jagged crest along the back and tail and perform an underwater courtship dance, waving their crests and fanning pheromones with their tails. The rest of the year they are dark, warty, and largely land-based, spending their days hidden under logs and stones in damp woodland. Their belly is a startling patchwork of orange and black spots, and they are legally protected across much of Europe, where populations have declined with the loss of farm ponds.