PACKET & TIMES (Orillia, Ontario) 09 August 08 Lonesome lizard needs human help - Vulnerable five-lined skink has two strikes against it (Leah Marinigh)
What does the destruction of habitat, road mortality, and the illegal pet trade all have in common? They are all linked to the declining population of Ontario's only species of lizard, the five-lined skink.
Ontario is the only place this lizard is found in all of Canada. It has a distinctive blue tail with five cream-coloured to yellow lines down its black body. It grows no more then nine centimetres in length, excluding its tail.
This creature possesses the unique ability to drop its tail and re-grow it as a defence mechanism against such predators as raccoons, snakes and domestic cats. It lives in generally open areas with sufficient debris to use as shelter and a permanent body of water since they are prone to dehydration.
The female is able to lay between nine and 10 eggs per year, with an average of only one of the babies surviving to breeding age.
The problem with this unique species lies within each of our ecological footprints. The destruction of the five-lined skinks's habitat due to the constant need for more homes, bigger buildings, wider roads and pure aesthetics contributes greatly to its declining populations.
The habitat it lived in 20 or 30 years ago no longer exists. Also, the illegal pet trade is posing a large problem for female nesting populations as they tend to nest all together, making them vulnerable to being collected and sold for profit. In southwestern Ontario, the skink is considered an endangered species and of special concern in the rest of Ontario. Without intervention and help from us, this species will be extirpated from Ontario in no time.
If you see a five-lined skink, report it to us at Kids For Turtles Environmental Education by phone at 325-5386 or e-mail info@kidsforturtles.com. This information is recorded and allows us to focus on certain areas to try and increase its populations and protect its habitat. People must remember that we share this earth with thousands upon thousands of unique and amazing creatures such as the five-lined skink, and it is our responsibility to protect and nurture this truly amazing gift that is quite often taken for granted.
Lonesome lizard needs human help