Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 5 hours ago
A win for these stunning endemic New Zealand skinks!
In 2016, an insurance population of 35 cobble skinks were salvaged from the West Coast by our partners at the Department of Conservation, ahead of cyclone threats. Our ectotherm team cared for these skinks for over eight years, mimicking their wild habitat and providing all they would need.
The skinks thrived in our care and, through expert breeding, we increased their number to 148. In January this year, the cobble skinks were released to a wild site near their original home.
Ensuring species are safe from extinction is so vital for the future of our ecosystems. As Te Rua (Kaikorero, Kaitiaki Pounamu. Kati Waewae - Poutini Kai Tahu) explains, “It's not just what we're doing now for ourselves that's important, but ensuring that the future is sustainable for those next generations to come.”
This #EndangeredSpeciesDay – we encourage all Kiwis to brush up on their New Zealand lizard facts and share them with someone you know!
A win for these stunning endemic New Zealand skinks!
In 2016, an insurance population of 35 cobble skinks were salvaged from the West Coast by our partners at the Department of Conservation, ahead of cyclone threats. Our ectotherm team cared for these skinks for over eight years, mimicking their wild habitat and providing all they would need.
The skinks thrived in our care and, through expert breeding, we increased their number to 148. In January this year, the cobble skinks were released to a wild site near their original home.
Ensuring species are safe from extinction is so vital for the future of our ecosystems. As Te Rua (Kaikorero, Kaitiaki Pounamu. Kati Waewae - Poutini Kai Tahu) explains, “It's not just what we're doing now for ourselves that's important, but ensuring that the future is sustainable for those next generations to come.”
This #EndangeredSpeciesDay – we encourage all Kiwis to brush up on their New Zealand lizard facts and share them with someone you know!
