Skinks facing extinction find new hope away from predatory snakes

A critically endangered skink species, once on the brink of extinction on Christmas Island, has found a new lifeline with its relocation to Horsburgh Island, a remote location off Western Australia. In July, more than 500 blue-tailed skinks were released onto Horsburgh Island in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, a move conservationists believe could lead to a population increase into the hundreds of thousands.

The blue-tailed skink population on Christmas Island was decimated by the introduction of predatory South-east Asian wolf snakes. Brendan Tiernan, threatened species manager for Christmas Island National Park, described the snake's impact as devastating, noting that by 2009, only one population of the skinks remained, making extinction imminent. "We realised that we're about to lose these species and it was time to get out there and secure them into captivity before they fell off the edge of the cliff," Tiernan stated.

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We realised that we're about to lose these species and it was time to get out there and secure them into captivity before they fell off the edge of the cliff.

Parks Australia's threatened species program coordinator, Shayla Stefanetti, recounted how the tiny skinks, measuring 10 to 12 centimeters, were once a common sight, known for their distinctive bright blue tails. A successful breeding program, initiated after capturing just 66 skinks, swelled their numbers to around 400. This breeding success enabled the translocation of skinks to the neighboring islands of Pulu Blan and Pulu Blan Madar in 2019 and 2020, where predator absence allowed populations to reach capacity.

Horsburgh Island, fifty times larger than the previous translocation sites, was chosen for its size and lack of predators, offering the potential to host a significantly larger population. Stefanetti expressed optimism about the translocation, a joint effort with Taronga Conservation Society Australia, stating, "To go from extinct in the wild to then have a really successful population flourishing in the wild, that is huge. It's a huge milestone for not only the species, but for our nation."

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To go from extinct in the wild to then have a really successful population flourishing in the wild, that is huge. It's a huge milestone for not only the species, but for our nation.