“There is a rumored sighting of a blue-tailed skink in pandanus forest in the Kohala Mountains,” he said. So far, Mautz’ findings are unable to confirm if the azure-tailed skinks are restricted to pandanus tree groves and if there are other populations of the lizards elsewhere on the island. “Newer developers favor ocean views over small farms and set landscaped houses close to the edge of the sea cliffs.” “The other difficulty for cliff-edge populations of wildlife on Hawaiʻi Island is that residential property development is rapidly proceeding on the Hāmākua Coast,” Mautz said. Mautz recently published an article about the species’ rediscovery in Herpetological Review.Īccording to Mautz, the disappearance of azure-tailed skinks across the Hawaiian Archipelago throughout the past 100 years could be linked to feral cats, rats, mongoose and invasive species of ants. To confirm its existence on Hawaiʻi Island, Mautz set off on a hike to the lizard population spotted within a small grove of pandanus trees at the edge of the ocean cliffs near Nīnole on the Hāmākua Coast. The azure-tailed skink also has a stripe over the top of its head.” William Mautz They may have a slate-colored tail but it is not a true blue. “The little brown skinks common in Hilo backyards are a different species called the delicate skink. “I said I know what it is, but it is not supposed to be here anymore,” Mautz explained. UH Hilo Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science alumnus Aaron Mickelson sent Mautz the photo to get his expert opinion. It was a recently snapped photograph of what appeared to be an azure-tailed skink, a lizard species once commonly found in the Hawaiian Islands and only known to dwell on a tiny 10-acre islet off Molokaʻi. When a former student sent William Mautz, a professor emeritus of biology at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, a snapshot of a lizard once thought to be extinct in Hawaiʻi-he was instantly curious. View their status on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.Azure-tailed skink (Photo credit: Gary Miller).There are no known major threats to western skinks and they are considered “least concern” due to their adaptability to a wide range of habitats, large distribution, and large stable populations.The tail will eventually grow back, but oftentimes the new tail is darker and more oddly shaped than the original. ![]() The bright blue tail then moves vigorously around, distracting the predator while the skink tries to escape. If caught by a predator, the western skink can detach its tail. ![]() The western skink is the only lizard in Washington that has a bright blue tail, shiny smooth scales, and stripes running along the length of their body. ![]()
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