In order to escape the clutches of a predator, a skink can drop its tail. This is an example of a defense mechanism that involves the loss of a body part called autotomy. The tail is often the most eye-catching part of a skink’s body, to which a predator directs its attention. After dropping its tail, a replacement tail grows in over the next few months.
Razo Island Skink
Mabuya stengeri
Fact File
Where to see them: Reptile House
Length: 5 to 6.5 in
Habitat: Dry forest and shrubland
Diet: Insects and fruit
Shrinking Skink Space: Available habitat for the Razo Island skink is shrinking due to deforestation and overgrazing.
90-Second Naturalist 
