Nature Education

Can Skinks regrow their tails?

This Scincella lateralis “Little Brown Skink” thought my dogs were after it on our walk. Nothing like finding a MOVING missing appendage. This defense mechanism we can see truly helps keep them safe from predators (other lizards, snakes, birds, mammals, etc). My dogs were still wondering what the tail was by the time the skink vanished into the grass. That is it, it’s defense worked beautifully for survival. The tail will regrow in weeks or months and it can be used in the future.
Skinks are reptiles like snakes, turtles, and other lizards. These are cold blooded animals that rely on the sun and temperature around them to keep them active. Most slow down enough to almost look dead in winter while they “hibernate” otherwise known as brumation for reptile species.
Feeding primarily on insects, and living among the wooded edge, these little guys are quick and not easy to see. As you can tell by the blurry zoom on my video, he was already gone by the time I whipped my phone out.