The rainbow skink is one of many reptiles that can be found living in the Garden.#ReptileMonday

-


The rainbow skink is a large, beautifully coloured skink with varied colouration, depending on sex and age. Juveniles and sub-adult males are dark olive-brown to black above, with three distinctive bluish-white stripes that are a brilliant electric-blue on the tail. Adult females retain their colouring, although the stripes may become subdivided and faint.

 

Adult males become buffy-olive to olive-brown above, each scale bearing a pearly white spot. The pale stripes become indistinct. The tail changes from yellowish to orange brown and the belly is creamy white.The rainbow skink is a rock dweller and can often be seen running around on exposed granite domes and other rock faces, feeding on insects.

 

During summer the female lays six to ten eggs which hatch after about 62 days. Northern populations of rainbow skink could lay two clutches of eggs per season. They are sometimes referred to as ‘margaritifera’ meaning ‘pearl containing’ because of their shimmering skin.They hide and sleep within cracks in rock faces.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

STUDY WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

-
Image
    To succeed as global custodians and future stewards of our planet; conservationists and supporters of wildlife conservation should be well-versed in the underlying principles of natural ecosystems and the 'wilderness' concept...   Through training and educational programs focused on conservation and wildlife management knowledge, African Bush Training in partnership with the International Students Conservation Initiative (ISCI) provides ways to create a lasting base of environmental literacy, stewardship, and competency for people working in conservation.  The ISCI accredited courses introduces participants to the most up-to-date, in-field conservation techniques and practices. The six week full-time programme or one week short-course selection (6 courses), provides a stepping stone for nature lovers looking to possibly pursue a career in wildlife conservation, or are interested in how conservation organisations operate.  AFRICAN BUSH TRAINING  www.abt-edu.com   info@africa
Read more

Black Mambas use their incredible speed to escape threats, not to hunt prey. #ReptileMonday

-
Image
Learn more at https://abt-edu.com Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) - © Johan Marais Classification: VERY DANGEROUS This is by far the largest venomous snake in Africa with a maximum length of 4.5 m (specimens over 3.8 m are rare). Despite its reputation it is a shy, elusive snake that is quick to escape but will not hesitate to strike repeatedly if cornered. It is active during the day, often basking near a hole in an anthill or large rock crevice where it quickly disappears into if disturbed. When threatened it will gape exposing the black inner lining of the mouth and it may form a narrow hood. The venom of this snake is potently neurotoxic and may cause difficulty with breathing within half an hour. Symptoms include a numbness of the lips, slurred speech, ptosis and progressive weakness. Antivenom is effective but often required in large quantities (10 – 15 vials). They get their name not from their skin color, which tends to be olive to gray, but rather from the blue-bla
Read more

The purple-crested turaco (Tauraco porphyreolophus) is a species of bird in the family Musophagidae.

-
Image
  Learn more at https:abt-edu.com The purple-crested turaco (Tauraco porphyreolophus) is a species of bird in the family Musophagidae. It clambers acrobatically through riverine woodland and savanna thickets. In flight it explodes from the canopy with distinctive deep red panels in the wings. It produces a distinctive croaking “khoh-khoh-khoh-khoh….” that gets progressively louder before suddenly stopping. The Purple-crested Turaco is a fruit-eater. Its glossy and colourful plumage makes this bird very attractive for humans. Turacos have been hunted in the past for their beautiful red flight feathers used as adornments by African people. Today, this species has adapted to suburban life, especially in Durban. The Purple-crested Turaco is frugivorous and feeds on fruits from numerous plant species. It forages in canopy, picking the fruits by perching at the end of the branches. This bird does not feed on the ground, except in captivity. The small fruits are swallowed whole, whereas
Read more