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Zoos Victoria's 2O Priority Species Alpine She-Oak Skink

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Zoos Victoria's 2O Priority Species Alpine She-Oak Skink ZOOS VICTORIA’S 2O PRIORITY SPECIES ALPINE SHE-OAK SKINK Cyclodomorphus praealtus Endangered Zoos Victoria is committed to saving the Alpine She-oak Skink. Working closely with the Department of Sustainability & Environment we have secured the first ever founder population of this Endangered skink whose restricted and fragmented distribution has left this species increasingly vulnerable to extinction. Zoos Victoria is working to develop husbandry techniques to care for and breed Alpine She-oak Skinks in captivity. Our strategy is this species only contingency plan should a wild population come under immediate risk of extinction. Zoos Victoria is committed to Fighting Extinction We are working to ensure that no Victorian terrestrial vertebrate species goes extinct on our watch. The mountain habitats of the Alpine SPECIES AT RISK IMAGES Front: The Alpine She-oak Skink lives in She-oak Skink are so isolated that Little is known about the life-history of the tussock grasses and heathland habitat on they are sometimes described as Alpine She-oak Skink, but animals are the Bogong High Plains. thought to mature at 2-3 years of age, mate Photo: Steve Wilson. ‘sky islands’ – each mountain top Below top: During the summer months is separated from the others by a in late spring/early summer and give birth surveys are conducted on the Alpine She-oak to 2-9 young in mid-late summer. Living Skink using tile transects. ‘sea’ of lower-altitude habitat that in alpine environments covered in tussock Photo: Michelle Cooper. is unsuitable for these little skinks. grasses and heath, this species is often Below bottom: Some individuals have a distinct red underbelly, this sub-adult is Such isolation means that a single found under rocks across the landscape. exhibiting its snake-like defence behaviour. passing fire could devastate the Hibernating over winter, these little skinks Photo: Andrew Griffiths. population and make it difficult for are known to live for more than five years any remaining skinks to survive. If in the wild. When under threat, Alpine She-oak Skinks exhibit a snake-like defence there is a catastrophic disturbance behaviour. With slender bodies reaching up to the skinks’ alpine habitat, Zoos to 12cm in length, they tuck in their reduced Victoria will be ready to implement limbs, rear their head up, hold out their a recovery program and ensure the tongue and flick the tip as a snake does. survival of this Endangered species. Due to its fragmented distribution across the high country, the Alpine She-oak Skink KEY PROGRAM OBJECTIVES is particularly vulnerable to catastrophic disturbances such as bushfires. Being + Develop captive husbandry protocols and restricted to alpine environments, it is also a breeding action plan likely to be severely affected by climate + Release captive-bred individuals to change. Other threats to the skinks include: re-establish populations if necessary after + Predation by feral species such as foxes a local extinction + Grazing and trampling by exotic + Maintain wild populations across their herbivores such as feral horses and current range cattle. + Raise community awareness of the Alpine She-oak Skink and the need to conserve Zoos Victoria is committed to improving alpine environments. the long-term future of the Alpine She-oak Skink. By developing captive husbandry and PROGRAM OUTCOMES breeding techniques, we are improving the chances of a successful recovery for this + Permits for collection of Alpine She-oak species in the event of an imminent threat to Skinks have been obtained wild populations. + Twelve founder skinks have been secured and brought into captivity as of February PROGRAM PARTNERS 2012. Department of Sustainability Alpine She-oak Skinks are being cared for and Environment and displayed at Healesville Sanctuary. Our www.dse.vic.gov.au reptile specialists are developing suitable FIND OUT MORE husbandry and breeding techniques for this www.zoo.org.au/conservation unique species as we continue to learn more about them. Zoos Victoria is a not-for-profit, zoo based conservation organisation. We are Fighting Extinction through our local and global conservation programs, research projects and community conservation campaigns. For more information on this or any other Zoos Victoria project, visit www.zoo.org.au/conservation Printed on 100% recycled paper.
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