A bleary eyed but excited crowd of conservationists gathered at Adel Pond this morning, for the unveiling of the results of last night’s newt survey. There was disappointment as the first two traps, opened by Steve Joul, senior ranger with Leeds City Council, were found to be empty. However, the mood soon turned to jubilation when the third trap, set by Josh, aged 14 from Leeds, was found to contain an adult palmate newt. The remaining traps contained three more adult palmate newts – two male and two female – and a youngster from last year – still sporting gills.
Your correspondent who is “embedded” with the Friends of Adel Woods had placed one of the traps at the edge of the pond, but to general amusement it proved on inspection to be empty save for a lone leech.
On completion of the survey, Mr Joul addressed the expectant throng on the life cycle of newts before leading them on a “whistle stop” bird song tour of Adel Woods.
Later we will be speaking to our economics editor, Stephanie Flanders, on the implications of the results of today’s survey on the Euro-crisis.
Friends of Adel Woods 