Wildlifeof New Zealand
Marbled Skink
Skinks
Photo: Shaun Lee · CC BY 4.0
Oligosoma oliveri
Basic stats
Habitat
Northern offshore-island forest and deep litter
Range
Northern islands (Poor Knights)
Size
Snout–vent length up to about 110 mm
The marbled skink is a large, secretive northern island skink with a boldly mottled body. Brown upperparts carry irregular pale and dark marbling; its thick tail and robust build distinguish it from the smaller Coromandel skink.
It is confined to islands in northern New Zealand, including parts of the Poor Knights group. It is mainly nocturnal, foraging through litter and around seabird burrows for invertebrates and fruit.
Marbled skink is At Risk — Uncommon (NZ Threat Classification). Its protected island range makes public encounters rare.
Quick answers
- What habitat does the Marbled Skink live in?
- Northern offshore-island forest and deep litter
- Where is the Marbled Skink found?
- Northern islands (Poor Knights)
- How big is the Marbled Skink?
- Snout–vent length up to about 110 mm