Newts hatch in the water, but they spend most of their lives on land, often hiding under fallen leaves or bark. At night, they hunt for insects, tiny fish, and other small prey . When they are ready to mate, rough-skinned newts return to the water, where males and females swim together in pairs. The females lay poisonous eggs and attach them to underwater plants.

Rough-skinned newts may not appear dangerous: they are no longer than 20 centimeters (8 inches), with stubby legs and teeth that look like tiny bumps. However, some of these newts are the most poisonous animals in the Pacific Northwest. One rough-skinned newt can have enough poison in its body to kill dozens of humans!

Rough-skinned newts have brown, bumpy skin on their backs, with bright orange skin on their bellies. When threatened by predators, newts curl their bodies to show the orange undersides of their necks and tails. The orange color warns predators to stay away, and most predators do. The only predators that regularly eat rough-skinned newts are common garter snakes.

What are some of the traits present in the newt population described in the article?