Egg-laying Skink

The egg-laying skink is New Zealand’s only native egg-laying lizard and a nocturnal specialist of the land-sea boundary. It is a large dark brown or black skink with gold flecks and a grey, red or orange speckled belly; its size and nocturnal activity separate it from shore skinks.

It occurs from Manawatāwhi/Three Kings south to eastern Coromandel, chiefly on offshore islands. It swims, remains underwater for more than 20 minutes and hunts intertidal invertebrates; females lay about two to five eggs in warm communal nests.

Egg-laying skink is At Risk — Uncommon (NZ Threat Classification); mainland populations are highly vulnerable to introduced predators. Predator-free northern islands with rocky coasts are its strongholds, but night access is often controlled.