Eastern Newt
Scientific Name
Class
Order
Range
Habitat
Estimated Wild Population
More Information
Physical Description
Eastern newts, which can grow up to five inches in length, are usually brown or green with fine black dots all over their body. Their belly is yellow or orange and is lighter than the rest of their body. They possess gills as larva and do not leave their birth pond for at least three months, at which point they shed their gills and leave the water. This juvenile form is called the "eft stage." During this time, they sport a bright red coloration, which signals their toxicity to predators. After two or three years, terrestrial efts transition into their adult breeding life stage and return to a fully aquatic life. They primarily eat insects, small mollusks and crustaceans, young amphibians, worms, and frog eggs.
Interesting Fact 1
Eastern newts navigate using magnetic orientation.
Interesting Fact 2
Adults develop a larger, blade-like tail and characteristically slimy skin.
Interesting Fact 3
They require a moist environment near either a temporary or permanent body of water.
Commitment to Care
Lincoln Park Zoo prioritizes individual well-being over everything else. Guided by scientific research, staff and volunteers work to provide the best welfare outcomes for each individual in the zoo’s care.
Support Your Zoo
Animals Depend On People Too
When you ADOPT an animal, you support world-class animal care by helping to provide specially formulated diets, new habitat elements, and regular veterinary checkups.
Wish List
The Wish List is full of one-of-a-kind items for the zoo’s animals, including nutritious snacks and enrichment items to keep them active and healthy.
Take Action With Us
Wildlife face many daunting challenges—some global, like planet-wide climate change, and some that affect individuals, like an animal ingesting plastic—but now is not the time to despair. None of these problems are too big for us to come together and solve.
