My memory is a little rusty but that newt looks an aweful lot like a great crested newt to me. The Great crested newt is a protected species under UK law and it is an offence to keep it as a pet.
The Great crested newt is protected because it is an endangered species and Britain is probably its last stronghold in the whole of Europe even here its population has been in decline since the 40's
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_crested_newt
"t is a protected species under schedule 5 of the UK's Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981and is therefore subject to the provisions of Section 9, which make it an offence to:
• Intentionally kill, injure or take a great crested newt [Section 9(1)]
• Possess or control any live or dead specimen or anything derived from a great crested newt [Section 9(2)]
• Intentionally or recklessly damage, destroy or obstruct access to any structure or place used for shelter or protection by a great crested newt [Section 9(4)(a)]
• Intentionally or recklessly disturb a great crested newt while it is occupying a structure or place which it uses for that purpose [Section 9(4)(b)]
Regulation 39 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994 (the Habitats Regulations)makes it an offence to:
• Deliberately capture or kill a great crested newt [Regulation 39(1)(a)]
• Deliberately disturb a great crested newt [Regulation 39(1)(b)]
• Deliberately take or destroy the eggs of a great crested newt [Regulation 39(1)(c)]
• Damage or destroy a breeding site or resting place of a great crested newt [Regulation 39(1)(d)]"
) . We're just worried we've got the water/land ratio wrong !
