Terror Skinks

K

Kawekaweau

Well-Known Member
Terror skinks are a species I have only known of for a relatively short amount of time, but I've already fallen in love with them (so to speak). It appears, however, that there are no terror skinks in captivity. As they are endangered and live on a low-lying tropical island I would've thought that their conservation would be a high priority. Seeing as New Caledonia's Noumea Zoo has several native reptiles already, would it not be possible for them to start a captive breeding colony?
 
Possible, yes, but unlikely. Very little is known about this species in the wild, other than it seems that it mainly preys on other reptiles. A much better understanding of the species' biology would probably be necessary before any such undertaking was attempted. Out of interest, though, Noumea Zoo do (or did) have the closely related Garnier's Giant Skink, Phoboscincus garnieri, on display, and a picture of it is in the gallery.
 
There has been a lot of work on the behaviour of the New Caledonian crow in the field and in the lab and I think the kagu has been studied too. I think there are opportunities for zoos to support conservation work in New Caledonia, perhaps including in situ breeding, if this were deemed appropriate for any native species. It may however be too late for the diademed lorikeet.
As I have written here before, a New Caledonia exhibit with crows, kagu, horned parakeets and giant geckos might be fascinating for an adventurous zoo - all these species are kept and bred ex situ, albeit in small numbers. One day other reptiles, mainly skinks and geckos, and birds such as the cloven-feathered dove and the New Caledonian parakeet might be available too.
 
gentle lemur said:
The terror skink is number 5 in this feature from New Scientist. It has the first photo I have seen of a live specimen.
Lazarus species: Five cool animals we wrongly believed extinct
Click to expand...
Not the first one i've seen, but much better quality than the image that comes up on google search. On an unrelated note, has the theory discussed at number 4, of Bornean elephants being introduced Javan elephants, actually been confirmed? I thought that was just speculation.
 
Swampy said:
On an unrelated note, has the theory discussed at number 4, of Bornean elephants being introduced Javan elephants, actually been confirmed? I thought that was just speculation.
Click to expand...
DNA testing has shown that they are distinct from other living elephant populations, suggesting that they are either native to Borneo (but with no archaeological record) or native to Java (really the only other option). As far as I know it hasn't been proven, but the various threads of evidence strongly suggest it to be so.
 
This youtube video was uploaded 2 days ago, and includes footage of a wild P.bocourti:

skip to 6:59 for the actual skink footage
 
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