Amphibians need pools and ponds to breed in, grasslands, heath, bogs for foraging, and dense cover to hibernate in. Our wet, mild climate with a network of ponds and wetlands, and wealth of semi-natural habitats makes RCT ideal amphibian habitat.

Common frog is abundant through RCT everywhere from pools and upland acid grassland on the highest hilltops to suburban garden ponds. Every year the first frog spawning is very early in RCT and usually spawn is seen somewhere by mid to late January. Interestingly, altitude seems to have no effect and exposed frost vulnerable ponds on upland sites can have frog spawn just as early as sheltered lowland ponds. Spawning in RCT is completed by early March. Common toad is more dependent on larger ponds and lakes but is also widely distributed and is a common species in RCT.

Palmate newt is very common across the northern two thirds of RCT, strongly associated with acidic ponds, pools and even shallow forestry track puddles. In comparison the smooth newt is restricted to the southern parts of the County Borough and less acid rich ponds. Great crested newts occur in the south of RCT in a loose network of sites with natural ponds or post-industrial/colliery spoil pools, and in a similar network of sites on the upland boundary with Merthyr Tydfil.