You can help grand and Otago skinks
DOC welcomes any comments or suggestions you may have about the conservation of grand and Otago skinks. These can be directed to the recovery group via any of the department's offices.
DOC Ranger, Nathan McNally,
demonstrating predator traps to local
schoolchildren
Reports of sightings of grand and Otago skinks are welcomed, c/- any DOC office. Ideally, a report would include GPS/grid locations, a photo of the skink/s, and/or a description of the skink/s and where they were found.
Others involved in skink conservation
Landowners with a grand or Otago skink population on their property are encouraged to contact DOC. That knowledge is important to the conservation of both species, and advice on how to protect and maintain that population is available.
The Grand and Otago Skink Recovery Programme supports the work of the Central Otago Ecological Trust (COET). This is a community group based in Alexandra who want to re-introduce Otago skinks into their area, an important part of the species' former range.
The captive and the captivated: an
Otago skink at the COET breeding
establishment
COET have been breeding Otago skinks in captivity in special housing, beside the LandCare Research and DOC offices in Alexandra. They will be released into a mammal-proof, fenced area, which is being constructed near Alexandra, and for which considerable funding has been raised.
You can find out more about helping COET by visiting: www.coet.org.nz