I spotted a pair of Shingleback Skinks (Tiliqua rugosa) in the grass near my bunkhouse. Pretty cool looking. Each was about 15 inches long with very large scales, a flat triangular head, and a short, stumpy tail.
Some interesting facts about this guy:
1. The short, stumpy tail resembles its head and may act as a defense mechanism to confuse predators. The tail also contains fat reserves that help the skink survive hibernation in the winter.
2. They are viviparous, which means they give live birth. They have broods of one to four relatively large offspring. They also tend to be monogamous. Some pairs have been known to return to each other every year for up to 20 years.
Shingleback Skink (Tiliqua rugosa)
I was born and raised in South Australia, and for some reason we all called these shinglebacks "sleepy lizards". No idea why!
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