Whitaker's skink facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Whitaker's skink |
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Oligosoma
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| Species: |
whitakeri
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Whitaker's skink (Oligosoma whitakeri) is a special kind of lizard found only in New Zealand. It is also known as Whitaker's New Zealand skink. This skink is an endangered species, which means there are not many left in the world. It belongs to the skink family, called Scincidae.
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Naming the Whitaker's Skink
The second part of this skink's scientific name, whitakeri, honors a person. It is named after Anthony Whitaker. He was a New Zealand scientist who studied lizards for more than 30 years. He was a herpetologist, which is a person who studies reptiles and amphibians.
Where Whitaker's Skink Lives and What It Does
Whitaker's skink lives in places near the coast. These areas include forests and bushy land. During the day, it likes to hide in warm, damp spots. These hiding places can be burrows made by seabirds or deep piles of rocks. When the weather is warm and humid at night, the skink comes out. It then looks for food.
Where You Can Find Whitaker's Skink
O. whitakeri lives on two small islands. These islands are free from predators like rats. They are located off the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand. One island is Middle Island in the Mercury Islands group. The other is Castle Island.
There is also a group of these skinks on the mainland. They live in a small rocky area. This spot is at the base of coastal hills near Pukerua Bay, close to Wellington. Scientists have found old bones of these skinks in the Waikato region. This suggests that Whitaker's skinks used to live in many more places across New Zealand.
The New Zealand Department of Conservation is working to help these skinks. They are running a project with the Friends of Mana Island. Their goal is to catch and breed enough skinks from the Pukerua Bay area. This will help create a healthy population. They plan to move these skinks to Mana Island. This island is also free from predators.
Protecting Whitaker's Skink
As of 2012, the Department of Conservation (DOC) has given Whitaker's skink a special status. They classify it as "Nationally Endangered." This means it is at high risk of disappearing from New Zealand. This classification is part of the New Zealand Threat Classification System. It helps people understand which animals and plants need the most help to survive.
