Prehensile-Tailed Skink

CORUCIA ZEBRATA

Prehensile-tailed skink at the Brandywine Zoo

HABITAT
The prehensile-tailed skink is found in primary and secondary tropical forests

GEOGRAPHIC REGION & RANGE
Salomon Islands, located northeast of Australia. Skinks from different islands have been found to look different, and some have been classified as different subspecies.

DIET
Flowers, leaves, fruits and shoots. They are even able to eat toxic plants with no ill effects observed.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
The prehensile-tailed skink is the largest of the known skinks. The body is olive to green in color, with scattered black scales on the back and legs, helping to camouflage it.

SIZE
32 inches (81 cm)

WEIGHT
30 to 40 pounds (18 to 18 kg)

LIEFESPAN
Natural Habitat: unknown
Under Human Care: ~15 years

THREATS
Consumption for food by indigenous Solomon Islanders and excessive pet trade exports have affected wild populations. Exportation of this species is illegal to protect the declining population. Export of this species from the Solomon Islands is now restricted and the animal is protected under CITES appendix II. Low reproduction rates also lend this animal to being threatened.

STATUS
Near Threatened

FUN FACTS

This is the only skink that is completely herbivorous.

Not only are Prehensile-tailed skinks ovoviviparous (live-bearing) reptiles, but they also exhibit viviparous matrotrophy, where embryos receive nutrients transferred from the mother.

They are very territorial and live in a group called a circulus, and are one of the few species of reptiles to function as a social family unit, and adult females will “adopt” orphaned young skinks.

Called monkey tailed skinks because they use their long, agile tails to help move in the tree canopy–like monkeys.

What are AZA Zoos doing for Prehensile Tailed Skinks?

Prehensile Tailed Skinks are managed in a Green Level SSP program by the Lizard Taxon Advisory Group. 295 PT skinks are held at 102 AZA facilities.