Newts eating tadpoles?

[WendyS]

I know rumour has it that newts eat tadpoles but has anybody actually seen this happening? I have several newts in my little pond and lots of tadpoles but despite several intensive periods of watching, have never seen this happen. Perhaps it's all happening down in the murky depths?

[Cetti]

I've not witnessed this personally Wendy but I did hear a lady on the radio only yesterday who said how much frogspawn she had lost thanks to her newts voracious appetites!

[Dr Hungry]

They're cunning creatures are newts! But yeah I think they do eat them, particularly Great Crested Newts, who are the worst ones of all!

[CassieB]

Hi, I just came on here to check out more about newts eating tadpoles as I have just witnessed it myself in our backgarden pond. We have had a pond for several years and it is thriving with various frogs and newts and we seem to get more and more each year. I live in Lancs in the UK and following an afternoon of torrential rain thought I would go check on the pond and its inhabitants and was shocked to see a newt attacking a tadpole. I had heard rumours of this but had never until then witnessed it and wondered if it was just a rumour, now unfortunately I know different. I must say also that we did have an enormous batch of eggs this year and absolutely loads of tadpoles, which suddenly do seem to have dwindled somewhat. Fortunately they almost have all their legs which means they may be able to leave the pond and hide better.