Whitaker's Skink

Whitaker’s skink is a large, secretive North Island skink now surviving at a handful of protected sites. It has glossy dark brown to nearly black upperparts, fine pale flecks and an orange or reddish underside.

Natural populations persist on islands and in protected mainland habitat around the Cook Strait and Coromandel regions. It is mainly nocturnal, sheltering in deep litter, burrows and under rocks while feeding on invertebrates and fruit.

Whitaker's skink is Threatened — Nationally Vulnerable (NZ Threat Classification); rodents and other introduced predators caused major range loss. Most populations are intensively managed or on restricted islands, making wild sightings uncommon.