northern spotted skink with bold ocelli along its sides
- Size
- Length: 14–18 cm
- Lifespan
- 8–12 years
- Diet
- Insectivorous. Feeds on insects, spiders, wētā, and small invertebrates. Also eats fruit and berries. Diurnal skink active in morning and late afternoon.
- Habitat
- Coastal forests, scrublands, and rocky outcrops. Prefers habitats with rocks and logs for basking. Tolerates salt spray and windy coastal conditions.
- Range
- Found only in Marlborough region of South Island. Particularly in coastal areas and river valleys. One of most restricted ranges of any South Island skink.
- Endemism
- Endemic
- Main Threats
- Habitat loss from land development and vegetation clearance. Predation from introduced rats, cats, and hedgehogs. Climate change. Small decreasing population.
- Population
- At Risk - Declining. Distinctive skink found only in Marlborough region. Brown with pale spots. Diurnal, active during day on coastal rocks and logs.
- Conservation Status
- At Risk - Declining
- Human Risk
- harmless
- Handling Note
- protected native skink, do not handle or disturb to prevent stress
- Conservation Note
- Endemic skink restricted to northern offshore islands; declining due to predation risk.
- Assessment
- NZTCS Reptiles and Amphibians (2021)
- Te Ao Māori
- In Māori tradition, Northern Spotted Skink was a creature of coast and wind. A kaitiaki (guardian) of northeastern lands. Spotted pattern seen as foam of waves. Sign of connection to sea. It was a taonga (treasure). A creature to be respected, never harmed by those who encountered it in wild.
It is not just spotted. It is defined by a pattern that sets it apart. Oligosoma kokowai is the coastal jewel of Marlborough. At fourteen to eighteen centimetres in length, it is a medium-sized skink. Brown to greyish-brown colouration features pale spots and darker markings. Belly is pale cream. Eyes are dark and watchful. A lizard that wears its name on its skin.
This is a skink of the coast and the rock. Found only in the Marlborough region, in coastal forests, scrublands, and rocky outcrops. A diurnal species, active during the day. It basks on sun-warmed rocks and logs, soaking up heat that fuels its hunting. A lizard that lives where land meets sea. Tolerates salt spray and windy conditions. Confined to northeastern part of South Island.
Biologically, the Northern Spotted Skink is viviparous, giving birth to live young. Females produce three to five offspring each year. A relatively high reproductive rate that allows species to recover quickly from disturbance. Young are born in late summer and are miniature versions of adults. Independent from birth. A quick return. A short wait.
Threatened by habitat loss and predation. Restricted range makes it vulnerable to localised threats. Population is declining. Coast is being developed. Predators are moving in. Land development and vegetation clearance are primary threats. Introduced rats, cats, and hedgehogs prey on adults and young. Climate change affects coastal habitats. Classified as At Risk - Declining.
To see a Northern Spotted Skink is to see a lizard that exists nowhere else on Earth. A creature of the Marlborough coast. A survivor of windswept rocks. Its future depends on protection of habitat and control of predators. The rock is warm. The skink basks, spots dark against grey stone, watching with dark eyes. The wind blows. The skink does not move. It does not know it is rare. It just basks.