#STRIPED WILD DOGS FREE#
Hauturu/Little Barrier Island may become a safe haven for striped skinks now that the rats have been eradicated leaving the island completely free of all mammalian predators. Striped skinks have proved adaptable to modified environments in some cases and tenacious in the presence of predators although it is unknown how long they can maintain this.
Research into effective detection methods for this species remains the number one priority so that trends in populations can be monitored and managed for recovery. This is possibly due to their arboreal nature. This is partly because survey and monitoring methods typically applied to skinks in New Zealand have not been very successful with striped skinks. The ecology, biology, and true range of the striped skink are poorly known, and the species has proved very difficult to find. This is a multi species plan managed by the North Island skink recovery group. Research and strategies for the conservation of striped skinks are covered in the North Island Oligosoma recovery plan. Therefore they are vulnerable to local extinction. There is usually a limited amount of habitat available on farmland, so skink populations tend to be small and isolated. When forests are cleared, remaining rotting logs are eventually removed or disintegrate. Habitat loss may be the main threat to striped skinks, especially as a result of agricultural development. The loss of indigenous lowland forest from the North Island has led to the local extinction of many lizard populations. Increasing mainland areas where predators are eradicated or controlled may improve these lizards’ chances of survival. However, the striped skink’s continued existence on the mainland may indicate that it can tolerate a low level of predation if sufficient habitat remains available. Threats PredatorsĬats, mustelids, and rats pose a threat to all lizards. They are presently known from several widely scattered inland locations throughout the central and northern North Island and on Great Barrier and Little Barrier Islands. Population and rangeįewer than 150 striped skinks have ever been recorded from the wild and their actual population size is not known. This may account for their apparent tendency to inhabit damp areas. Striped skinks have been shown to have high rates of evaporative water loss making them susceptible to dehydration. Striped skinks have also been found in swampland. On farmland they tend to live in rotting logs or rank vegetation. They also dwell in logs and litter on the forest floor. It is known to live beneath flaking bark and crevasses in trunks, branches and epiphytes. The striped skink is a good climber and may spend most of its time in the canopy of mature forest. Striped skinks are found in mature lowland forest and pastoral farmland. Although their growth rates and lifespan are unknown, an adult in captivity has lived for over 20 years.Īgain, their diet in the wild is largely unknown, while in captivity they mainly eat insects, but will also eat soft fruit. Striped skinks give birth in summer and can have up to eight young in a litter. The sparse records for this species indicate that they are widespread through the central North Island up to Great and Little Barrier Islands although their secretive nature has meant that accurate population monitoring has not yet been able to take place. The striped skink is listed as ‘Declining’ under DOC's Threat Classification system. The species is easily recognised by the pale stripes running down the length of its body, and makes for an eye-catching sight with its lightening quick movements. Very little is known of its ecology and habits and all sightings and records of this skink can provide valuable clues to help DOC its continued survival.
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