Great crested newt on the motorway

On average, every 700 meters under the Autostrada Wielkopolska there is a crossing for small animals such as amphibians, reptiles, insects or small mammals. The crossings are willingly used by great crested newts, a rare and protected species, especially cared for by naturalists working on the motorway.

The great crested newt resembles a small dinosaur, although it is an amphibian, not a reptile. Therefore, despite reptile appearance, it has more in common with a frog or a toad than with a lizard. Crested newts are under special protection. This amphibian reaches a maximum size of 15-16 cm and it is the largest newt living in Poland.  Interestingly, newts have excellent regenerative abilities.

Crested newts can grow back not only a lost finger, but also, for example, a part of a leg. They are a dreamed object for potential medical research. Their American relatives, from the salamander family, are already being used for such research. Maybe in Poland or generally in Europe we will reach for newts to understand their patterns, provided newts do not go extinct before! Their populations are disappearing before our eyes. – says prof. Piotr Tryjanowski from the University of Life Sciences in Poznań.

Newts dislike drought very much. Meanwhile, as a result of human expansion, small puddles and ponds are destroyed; and water reservoirs, on the other hand, are full of contaminants. In addition, long periods of drought do not have a positive effect on the condition of water which is the natural environment for these amphibians. Therefore initiatives aimed at the protection of newts are extremely important.

There are natural habitats of great crested newts along Autostrada Wielkopolska. They are most often located in the vicinity of water reservoirs which we take special care of, controlling the purity of water, water level, and the safety of all amphibians and reptiles. – says Dr. Ewa Patalas, Manager for monitoring and environmental protection of Autostrada Wielkopolska.

Already at the design phase of the motorway, proper protection of these amphibians was ensured. Over 100 special crossings for small animals, known as culverts, were built under the concession section of A2 between Świecko and Nowy Tomyśl only, in the locations indicated by scientists and environmental protection experts. On average, every 700 meters there is a culvert that newts can use. Newts use special crossings under the motorway most often in spring and autumn when they migrate in search of water reservoirs for breeding.

 After the first mating meeting, newts manifest their mutual acceptance and fascination by performing movements called dancing. Such mating dance takes place in water. Then newts hibernate on land. In spring, with the surge of hormones newts move to mate and reproduce, and search for their favorite water reservoirs. They begin their journey. – says prof. Tryjanowski.

Newts that do not find their way to the culvert under the motorway are helped by scientists and nature lovers as well as fences installed in the motorway right of way near animal crossings, culverts and ecological reservoirs. A wandering newt is walking along a fence that guides it to a safe pass to the other side of the motorway. In autumn when the newts return to their wintering grounds, the pattern is repeated.

Why are newts so important for the ecosystem and, consequently, for humans? Primarily because they form a useful part of our environment. They are invaluable in eating mosquitoes, or actually the larvae of mosquitoes and midges which they seek out and eat.  Owing to newts we really have a calmer summer, and are not disturbed by swarms of mosquitoes when staying in the rest and service area in the motorway. Moreover, they are potentially useful in biomedical research. Besides, or rather above all, we owe respect to nature.

Autostrada Wielkopolska runs its activity in line with this idea, and the phase of construction of the  Świecko – Nowy Tomyśl concession section has been highly rated by experts of the European Investment Bank as a model example of care for environmental issues. EIB representatives paid particular attention to environmental protection and environmental compensation, including the amphibian and reptile rescue program. As part of such program, Autostrada Wielkopolska has constantly monitor the environment in terms of:
• Crossings for animals,
• Measurement of the chemical condition of water,
• Air purity,
• The condition of surface and ground waters
• Water and sewage management and other