Skink havens offer hope for Australia's struggling reptiles
Yakka skinks are social reptiles that prefer to remain in the same area and live in family groups. While their predictable nature puts the species at risk of predators, a PhD student is using it to their advantage.
The yakka skink, a threatened species in Australia, is thriving in Charleville due to a fencing project. This population increase offers hope for the species' overall conservation, as it struggles elsewhere due to predation and land clearing. PhD student Stephen Peck, who led the project, noticed a significant rise in skink numbers after erecting fences around several habitats.
The fenced sites have an estimated population of 28, up from about 10. The skinks' predictable nature and tendency to stay within a small area have made them more susceptible to threats, but their social behavior allows for easier protection. The fences exclude predators like cats and foxes, while still allowing natural predators to move through.
Some skinks have even established themselves outside the fences after growing to a small adult size. Professor David Chapple emphasized the importance of local threat management, stating that fencing some sites and enabling animals to disperse can help maintain the species in the landscape. Despite challenges, the project demonstrates the potential for local conservation efforts to save threatened reptiles.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
