Prehensile-tailed skink

Scientific name: Corucia zebrata

diet: Herbivore

range:Western Asia

habitat:Dry Forests, Rainforests

Viewing Hints:

You may see this species in a reptile habitat along the Wieland Wildlife Home Boardwalk; prehensile-tailed skinks may also be seen seasonally in Scaly Slimy Spectacular. You also might meet one at one of our evening events, at a pop-up animal encounter during your Zoo visit, or if you register for one of our education programs.

Photos and Videos

General Information:

The prehensile-tailed skink is also known by several other names, such as the monkey-tailed skink and the Solomon Island skink. Their namesake tail makes up about half of their total body length. In the wild, these herbivorous lizards eat a variety of fruits and leafy plants, including some that are hazardous to most other animals. Newborn prehensile-tailed skinks consume the feces of adults in order to cultivate gut bacteria necessary for digesting plant material.

Physical Features and Characteristics:

These lizards are some of the longest skinks, reaching lengths of up to 30 inches. They can blend in to their surroundings thanks to the camouflage provided by their green mottled with black body coloration. Unlike many other species of skink, prehensile-tailed skinks have sharp claws that help these arboreal lizards climb trees. They are almost completely arboreal and nocturnal. Although they are relatively slow moving, they can be difficult to find due to their being almost completely arboreal and nocturnal.

Lifestyle and Reproduction:

These lizards are most often found alone or in pairs, but they have been known to form social groups, called a circulus, with other skinks caring for offspring. Breeding takes place in the spring, although they generally only breed every other year or less frequently. Prehensile-tailed skinks are ovoviviparous, producing young by means of eggs that are hatched within the body of the parent. Gestation lasts six to eight months, and babies can measure 1/3 of the adult length, up to 9 inches long, at birth. Unlike many lizards, females of this species only have one baby; twins are possible but rare. The baby stays with its mother for up to six months, which is highly unusual for lizards. Unique among all reptiles, the father may help defend the baby as well. Sexual maturity is reached around 3 years of age.

Range:

Prehensile-tailed skinks are native to the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, northeast of Australia in the Pacific Ocean.

Habitat:

These arboreal lizards inhabit tropical rainforests.

Diet:

Prehensile-tailed skinks are herbivores. In the wild they feed on leaves, fruits and flowers. They can even eat the centipede tonga vine, which is toxic to most animals. Here at Zoo Atlanta, they receive a diet of leafy greens and fresh fruits and vegetables. Their favorite foods include grapes and kiwi.

Conservation:

Currently, the major threat to wild prehensile-tailed skink populations is habitat destruction due to the logging industry. Although trading in this species has been prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) since 2002, the population continues to be impacted by historic over-collection for the pet trade. Because they breed so infrequently and only one offspring is born at a time, the removal of even one adult female from a wild population can have devastating effects on the population’s ability to replenish itself.