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 other small invertebrates. Also eats fruit and berries when available. A diurnal skink that basks in the sun on rocks and logs. Active during the day, particularly in the morning and late afternoon.
- Habitat
- Coastal forests, scrublands, and rocky outcrops. Prefers habitats with plenty of rocks and logs for basking, and dense vegetation for cover. Often found in coastal areas, where it tolerates salt spray and windy conditions.
- Range
- New Zealand - found only in the Marlborough region of the South Island, particularly in the coastal areas and river valleys. One of the most restricted ranges of any South Island skink, confined to the northeastern part of the island.
- Endemism
- Endemic
- Main Threats
- Habitat loss from land development and vegetation clearance is the primary threat. Also threatened by predation from introduced rats, cats, and hedgehogs, and by climate change. Classified as At Risk - Declining, with a small and decreasing population.
- Population
- A distinctive skink found only in the Marlborough region. The Northern Spotted Skink has brown to greyish-brown colouration with pale spots and darker markings, and a pale belly. It is a diurnal skink, active during the day, and can often be seen basking on rocks or logs in coastal forests and rocky outcrops.
- Conservation Status
- At Risk - Declining
The coastal jewel of Marlborough. A lizard that exists nowhere else on Earth.
The Northern Spotted Skink is defined by a pattern of spots that sets it apart from its relatives. At fourteen to eighteen centimetres in length, it is a medium-sized skink, with brown to greyish-brown colouration and pale spots and darker markings. The belly is pale cream, and the eyes are dark and watchful. A lizard that wears its name on its skin.
This is a skink of the coast and the rock. The Northern Spotted Skink is found only in the Marlborough region, in coastal forests, scrublands, and rocky outcrops. It is a diurnal species, active during the day, and it basks on sun-warmed rocks and logs, soaking up the heat that will fuel its hunting. A lizard that lives where the land meets the sea.
Biologically, the Northern Spotted Skink is a viviparous species, giving birth to live young. Females produce three to five offspring each year, a relatively high reproductive rate that allows the species to recover quickly from disturbance. The young are born in late summer and are miniature versions of the adults, independent from birth. A quick return. A short wait.
The Northern Spotted Skink is threatened by habitat loss and predation. Its restricted range makes it vulnerable to localised threats, and its population is declining. The coast is being developed. The predators are moving in. The skink has nowhere else to go.
To see a Northern Spotted Skink is to see a lizard that exists nowhere else on Earth. It is a creature of the Marlborough coast, a survivor of the windswept rocks, and its future depends on the protection of its habitat and the 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 does not know it is confined.
It just basks. That is all it can do.