NZ Native Skink

We found this wee skink having a swim in our swimming pool, so we fished it out and put it on the grass so I could take some photo's. Even though you can't see its whole body, it would have been about 6 inches long.

Skinks are the most frequently encountered reptiles in New Zealand and they are often glimpsed in gardens. They vary in colour and size, with the longest skink
measuring 350 millimetres from head to tail. Skinks eat insects and fruit. They are highly alert animals, with an exceptional sense of smell, hearing and sight.
They are long-lived animals (some over 40 years) with relatively low breeding rates. Some are active at night while others only come out during the day. In order to survive and carry out their daily activities, skinks have to raise their body temperature by extracting heat from the sun's rays and from rock surfaces.

When attacked skinks are able to shed their tail which wriggles about attracting the attention of the predator while an escape is attempted. Although this skink still had its tail attached, most that we find are tailess.