The Marlborough spotted skink (Oligosoma elium) is a large, beautifully marked skink found only in parts of Marlborough and northern Canterbury. It is active during the day and often seen basking on sunny rock piles or along the edges of tussock grasslands and scree slopes.
Its body colour varies from pale brown or olive to grey, patterned with light spots and dark flecks that help it blend into its rocky surroundings. A pale stripe often runs along each side, breaking up towards the tail.
Marlborough spotted skinks are viviparous (live-bearing), giving birth to one to three young in late summer. They feed on a range of invertebrates, as well as the fruit and nectar of native plants.
These skinks are now Nationally Endangered, found in only a few locations between Ward and Hawarden, and on Motunau Island. Populations have declined due to habitat loss, weed invasion, and predation by introduced mammals such as rats, mice, and mustelids.
Protecting rocky habitats and continuing predator control are vital for the survival of this unique South Island species.
Source: https://www.reptiles.org.nz/herpetofauna/native/oligosoma-elium