Clints Quarry, Moota

Also within

Cumbria County LAKE DISTRICT National Park

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Rock Type: Limestone

Description

Description Clints Quarry, Moota is a disused limestone quarry situated just within the Lake District National Park between Cockermouth and Wigton. The site is of interest for the large population of the great crested newt Triturus cristatus. The site is in two parts, based on those two of the three former quarries which contains standing water. There are three ponds on the site, one in the lower quarry and two in the upper. All contribute to an exceptional population of great crested newts within the site. The population is a successful one since eggs, larvae and juvenile newts have been recorded throughout. The surrounding terrestrial habitat consists of sparsely vegetated limestone quarry spoil tips and rubble. The old quarry rubble on the site provides excellent summer hiding places and winter hibernation sites for the newts and also attracts invertebrates on which they feed. There are other smaller ponds within the surrounding agricultural land which support small numbers of great crested newts, but they are not significant enough to include within this site. The Clints Quarry site can be seen as a stable base from which a much wider area could be colonised by this species. Three other species of native amphibian are found on this site consisting of populations of County importance of palmate newt and low populations of common frog and common toad.

Species mentioned