Home makeovers for skink survival

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-01-29 03:00

New Zealand

What does this mean?

Jump to: MultimediaAttachmentsExpert Reaction

Adding native plants and rock piles to land that skinks share with predators could help keep them safe in their own habitats, researchers say. They studied the northern grass skink and copper skink populations at public parks in Wellington's Miramar peninsula before and after 'habitat enhancement', which involved planting native species known to be linked to skink abundance or presence, or that were likely to provide 'microhabitats', and adding piles of rock that predators couldn't get into. The grass skinks seemed to have a higher survival rate after habitat enhancement, and the study authors conclude this might be a good way to keep them alive or encourage them to stay in an area.