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
She-oak Skink are so isolated that
they are sometimes described as
‘sky islands’ – each mountain top
is separated from the others by a
‘sea’ of lower-altitude habitat that
is unsuitable for these little skinks.
Such isolation means that a single
passing fire could devastate the
population and make it difficult for
any remaining skinks to survive. If
there is a catastrophic disturbance
to the skinks’ alpine habitat, Zoos
Victoria will be ready to implement
a recovery program and ensure the
survival of this Endangered species.
KEY PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
+ Develop captive husbandry protocols and
a breeding action plan
+ Release captive-bred individuals to
re-establish populations if necessary after
a local extinction
+ Maintain wild populations across their
current range
+ Raise community awareness of the Alpine
She-oak Skink and the need to conserve
alpine environments.
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
+ Permits for collection of Alpine She-oak
Skinks have been obtained
+ Twelve founder skinks have been secured
and brought into captivity as of February
2012.
Alpine She-oak Skinks are being cared for
and displayed at Healesville Sanctuary. Our
reptile specialists are developing suitable
husbandry and breeding techniques for this
unique species as we continue to learn more
about them.
SPECIES AT RISK
Little is known about the life-history of the
Alpine She-oak Skink, but animals are
thought to mature at 2-3 years of age, mate
in late spring/early summer and give birth
to 2-9 young in mid-late summer. Living
in alpine environments covered in tussock
grasses and heath, this species is often
found under rocks across the landscape.
Hibernating over winter, these little skinks
are known to live for more than five years
in the wild. When under threat, Alpine
She-oak Skinks exhibit a snake-like defence
behaviour. With slender bodies reaching up
to 12cm in length, they tuck in their reduced
limbs, rear their head up, hold out their
tongue and flick the tip as a snake does.
Due to its fragmented distribution across
the high country, the Alpine She-oak Skink
is particularly vulnerable to catastrophic
disturbances such as bushfires. Being
restricted to alpine environments, it is also
likely to be severely affected by climate
change. Other threats to the skinks include:
+ Predation by feral species such as foxes
+ Grazing and trampling by exotic
herbivores such as feral horses and
cattle.
Zoos Victoria is committed to improving
the long-term future of the Alpine She-oak
Skink. By developing captive husbandry and
breeding techniques, we are improving the
chances of a successful recovery for this
species in the event of an imminent threat to
wild populations.
PROGRAM PARTNERS
Department of Sustainability
and Environment
www.dse.vic.gov.au
IMAGES
Front: The Alpine She-oak Skink lives in
tussock grasses and heathland habitat on
the Bogong High Plains.
Photo: Steve Wilson.
Below top: During the summer months
surveys are conducted on the Alpine She-oak
Skink using tile transects.
Photo: Michelle Cooper.
Below bottom: Some individuals have a
distinct red underbelly, this sub-adult is
exhibiting its snake-like defence behaviour.
Photo: Andrew Griffiths.
FIND OUT MORE
www.zoo.org.au/conservation
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
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