Plague skink invader spotted in Raglan

A plague skink found in Raglan. One of the quickest ways to distinguish between a native skink and a plague skink is to look at the scale patterns on their head. The native skink has two smaller scales while the introduced plague skink has one large scale.

For the first time, a live Australian plague skink has been found in Hawke's Bay.

Discovered by staff at Happy Animalz Pet Shop in Taradale, the pest hitched a ride down from Auckland on a courier truck.

The find was reported to Hawke's Bay Regional Council which alerted the Department of Conservation's Ahuriri-Napier office. Plague skinks are invasive pests that pose a threat to our rare native lizards.

Many of New Zealand's native skink species are in decline, or in some cases, have become locally extinct through introduced predators such as rats, cats, mustelids and hedgehogs.
Plague skinks are yet another threat to our declining native lizard populations.

These pests are able to reach high population densities in a relatively short time, potentially competing with our native lizard species for food, habitat and space.

The skink, sometimes known as a rainbow skink, is a smaller lizard than native skinks, but looks very similar.

Plague skinks are from Australia and were first recorded in Auckland during the 1960s. They have steadily expanded their range through the North Island.

They are currently found from Northland to Waikato and the Bay of Plenty, with outlying populations at Whanganui, Palmerston North and Foxton Beach.

The discovery of one in Hawke's Bay highlights just how easily pests of this nature can spread, whether hitching a ride in a car or its eggs being transported in nursery trees and potted plants, where eggs are commonly laid.

DOC and HBRC thanked the staff at Happy Animalz Pet Shop for their quick thinking.
It was because of this the plague skink was able to be contained.

If anyone sees a plague skink, please report it to 0800 DOC HOT or to HBRCon 0800 108 838.