Een vinpootsalamander-inhaalslag in het hart van de Kempen

Assessing palmate newt occurrence in the central Kempen area The general distribution of the palmate newt (Lissotriton helveticus) in the Netherlands is quite well known. Yet, open questions remain about its local occurrence and ecology. Following discovery of several previously unknown occurrences in the Kempen region of the Dutch province North Brabant in spring 2021, palmate newt presence within the wider area surrounding the discovered sites was reassessed. The loosely defined study area measured approximately 50 km2, and was located between the Belgian border and the towns of Reusel, Eersel, Bergeijk, and Luyksgestel. Occurrence of palmate newts was confirmed in five of the seven 1x1 kilometre (km) grids where the species was known to occur, and in eight 1x1 km grids where the species had not been registered before. Palmate newt abundance appeared to be relatively low in the study area. Potential threats to newt persistence in the region include presence of invasive eastern mudminnow (Umbra pygmaea), and disappearance of ponds necessary for reproduction, the latter being especially noticeable in the southern half of the study area. During nightly inventories, palmate newts were found to be particularly light-shy when compared to other newt species, often immediately fleeing deep into aquatic vegetation when illuminated with a torch. Hoewel de verspreiding van de vinpootsalamander in grote lijnen helder is, blijven er vraagtekens over de ecologie en het lokaal voorkomen van de soort. In het voorjaar van 2021 werden vinpootsalamanders bij toeval ontdekt binnen een aantal nieuwe kilometerhokken in de Brabantse Kempen. Deze vondsten leidden tot een lokale inhaalslag, waarbij het voorkomen in deze regio beter in beeld is gebracht.