Christmas Island blue-tailed skink

Christmas Island blue-tailed skink is a small lizard that is endemic to the Australian territory for which it is named. The skinks prefer pristine forests and coastal vegetation. They spend their time climbing, basking and eating insects. In 2009, 66 skinks were taken into captivity to secure the species’ future through captive breeding. Christmas Island blue-tailed skinks are listed as Extinct in the Wild on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Captive breeding has been very successful and there are about 1,500 skinks alive today. The main threats facing Christmas Island blue-tailed skinks are predation and competition from introduced species.
If awarded $1 million from the Indianapolis Zoo’s Saving Species Challenge, conservationists would take the following steps:
Complete feasibility assessment for translocation
Upgrade captive breeding facility on Christmas Island
Control and eradicate introduced predators
Translocate skinks to new habitat
Monitor skinks post-translocation
You can learn more about Christmas Island blue-tailed skinks from the IUCN SSC Skink Specialist Group.
The winner of the Indianapolis Zoo’s Saving Species Challenge will be announced later this year. Bookmark www.ProtectSpecies.com for updates.