Lord Howe Island skink facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lord Howe Island skink |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Oligosoma
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| Species: |
lichenigerum
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The Lord Howe Island skink (Oligosoma lichenigerum) is a special type of Skink. It's a native reptile found in Australia. You can find these skinks on Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island.
Most of these skinks live on the Norfolk Island complex. They are less common on Lord Howe Island. This skink has a shiny bronze color with small spots. It can grow up to 8 centimeters long. This makes it a medium-sized skink. The Lord Howe Island skink is a protected animal. It is listed as vulnerable under Australian law.
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All About the Lord Howe Island Skink
What Does the Lord Howe Island Skink Look Like?
The Lord Howe Island skink (Oligosoma lichenigera) is usually a shiny bronze or olive color on its back. It has brown spots or lines along its body. You might also see brown spots on its head. A special feature is a pale golden stripe. This stripe goes from above its eye all the way to its tail.
Its upper body often has light spots. The throat is usually grey-white with dark grey-brown spots. Its legs can be light or dark brown. This depends on the skink's size and age. These skinks can grow up to 8 cm long. This is a medium size for a skink. We don't know their exact lifespan. But bigger skinks might live for up to 10 years.
What Do Lord Howe Island Skinks Eat?
Lord Howe Island skinks mostly eat small creatures. They feed on beetles, spiders, moths, and ants. They also eat other invertebrates. They find these in the leaf litter on the ground. There is a lot of leaf litter on both Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island.
Some research suggests they might also eat tern eggs. They might push these eggs down a hill to crack them open.
Where Do Lord Howe Island Skinks Live?
The Lord Howe Island skink lives on Lord Howe Island and the Norfolk Island complex. They are native to both of these islands. These islands are far from the mainland of Australia. This has helped the skink population grow.
Most Lord Howe Island skinks live on the Norfolk Island complex. Many are found on Phillip Island. This island is just off the main Norfolk Island. They can live in many different habitats. These range from rainforests to grasslands.
You can often find them hiding under boulders and rocks. They also shelter in holes in rocks or cracks in trees. These skinks are mostly active at night (this is called nocturnal). Sometimes, they are active during the day (this is called diurnal).
Lord Howe Island Skink Reproduction
We don't know a lot about how Lord Howe Island skinks reproduce. They lay a small group of eggs, usually 1 to 3 at a time. The eggs take about 68 days to hatch.
Protecting the Lord Howe Island Skink
The Lord Howe Island skink is listed as a Vulnerable animal. This means it needs protection. This listing is under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Even so, there are many skinks on both Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island. Their populations are thought to be stable.
The Australian government is working to protect these skinks. They want to help the population grow. This will help remove the skink from the vulnerable list.
How We Help Lord Howe Island Skinks
Here are some ways people are helping these skinks:
- Controlling and removing rabbits and non-native geckos. These animals were brought to the islands.
- Setting up bait stations on small islands. This stops rats from getting to the skinks.
- Protecting their homes from harm. This includes harm from humans, bad weather, and introduced animals.
- Continuing to grow new plants. This creates more safe places for the skinks.
- Checking for diseases that could hurt the skinks.
- Watching the skink populations to see if they are growing.
- Studying how the introduced Grass Skink affects the Lord Howe Island Skink's food.
- Learning more about the skink's life and genes. This helps with conservation plans.
What Harms Lord Howe Island Skinks?
A few things can shorten the life of a Lord Howe Island skink. Rats are the main problem. They eat the skinks. This caused the skink population to drop on the main islands.
The Lord Howe Island skink only lives on these islands. They are not found anywhere else. On Lord Howe Island, the skink population dropped a lot. This happened after black rats arrived from a shipwreck in 1927. The skinks are still common on smaller islands that don't have rats. But there are fewer on the main islands.
On Norfolk Island, Polynesian rats caused the skinks to disappear from the main island. These rats were brought by Polynesian visitors. However, the skink is common and safe on Phillip Island. This is the largest offshore island.
In the past, cats also hunted Lord Howe Island skinks. This was another reason they were vulnerable. But there are no cats left on Lord Howe Island. So, cats are no longer a threat. The skink population there is now growing. Another threat is the introduced skink lampropholis delicata. This skink arrived on the islands in the early 1990s. It competes with the Lord Howe Island skink for food.
