Macgregor's Skink

Fascinating facts about the Macgregor's Skink

• Only 1% of its original North Island range remains for this lizard, now clinging to island refuges like the Cavalli Islands, Mana Island (where all pest mammals were removed), and the Hauraki Gulf, a stark reminder of how invasive rodents can wipe out a species’ habitat.
• At a maximum snout-to-vent length of 112 mm (4.4 in), this medium-sized skink fits comfortably on a child's palm, yet it carries a lineage that once spanned much of New Zealand’s main island.
• Unlike most reptiles that lay eggs, this skink gives birth to live young, being viviparous.
• The species name honors New Zealand zoologist William Roy McGregor, linking a tiny, hidden reptile to a legacy of scientific discovery in the country.

About the Macgregor's Skink

MacGregor’s skink (Oligosoma macgregori) is a medium-sized New Zealand lizard with a maximum snout-to-vent length of 112 mm (4.4 in). It is viviparous. Historically it was found across the North Island, but now it occupies only about 1 % of its former range, persisting in relict populations on the Cavalli Islands, on Mana Island, and in the Hauriki Gulf region of the North Island.

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