What age do most Triturus Vulgaris newts live to?

[chris]

Does anybody know what the maximum age that a Smooth newt can live to,in well looked after captive conditions & in the wild?
Male or female?

Chris

 

[nimbus2]

There's a record of a T. vulgaris living in captivity for 18 years at http://www.halcyon.com/slavens/lsala.html
and they can probably live for longer.

As for life-spans in the wild, I don't know, but 10-20 years wouldn't at all surprise me.

 

[john]

From page 53 of Beebee, Trevor and Griffiths, Richard (2000) "Amphibians and Reptiles" - Harper Collins Newt Naturalist series:

"Adult smooth newts suffer about 50% mortality per year and not many live to be older than six or seven."

I would think that they could live a lot longer in captivity though, as Nimbus2 says.

 

[chris]

thanks both of you
Chris