Unique Qualities:

Western skinks can grow to over 20 cm in length and have black brown and beige stripes from nose to tail. Juveniles have a bright blue tail that eventually turns grey. The western skink looks shiny because it’s covered in smooth and glossy scales.

Can be Seen:

A small population of western skinks lives in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. Skinks are also found throughout the western United States.

Likes to Hang Out:

Western skinks like places to hide, so they live in areas with lots of leaf litter, rotting logs and rocks. They like grassy areas and forests, where they can dig burrows for the long winter.

Likes to Eat:

Skinks are carnivores that hunt their prey along the forest floor. They eat all types of insects as well as spiders and earthworms.

Staus:

This species is listed as a “special concern” by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). Skinks need rocks, old logs and leaves for shelter, as well as loose soil for their burrows and an area that gets lots of sun. If humans change just one of these things, skinks are in big trouble.

Did You Know?

Did you know that western skinks escape predators by losing their tail? When attacked, the skink’s tail can break off, surprising the enemy, giving the skink time to scurry away. A new tail eventually grows in its place.