HELP THE FIVE-LINED SKINK

HELP THE FIVE-LINED SKINK
Plestiodon fasciatus
... a species at risk
Meet Ontario’s only native lizard!
The Five-lined Skink is an
amazing little creature,
but it faces many threats
including: being squashed
by cars and trucks, habitat
loss, and illegal collection for
the pet trade.
Juvenile Five-lined Skink
How can you help?
• Report your sightings!
• Do not attempt to pick up a Five-Lined Skink! This may cause them to detach
their tail, which contains important energy stores.
• Drive cautiously and look out for skinks on the road
• If you see a skink on the road, protect it until it crosses safely
• Preserve Five-lined Skink habitat: skinks live under rocks and logs, so leave
cover objects alone
• Do not keep or buy Five-lined Skinks as pets; they are meant to be wild!
P
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IN
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For more information about the Five-lined Skink or to report a sighting
please contact:
FRIEND
PA
R
K
Pinery Provincial Park Visitor Centre
9526 Lakeshore Rd. RR2
Grand Bend ON N0M 1T0
519-243-8574
@PineryProvPark
Information about the Skink Habitat Stewardship
Project is on our website - pinerypark.on.ca/skinks.html
HELP THE FIVE-LINED SKINK
Plestiodon fasciatus
... a species at risk
• Protected under provincial and
federal laws
• Found in a variety of wooded
habitats, usually under rocks or
fallen trees
• Diet consists mostly of
invertebrates such as spiders,
caterpillars, and beetles
Adult Male Five-lined Skink who has lost his tail
and regrown a shorter replacement
• Their level of activity depends on
their body temperature, and if warm
they can be extremely quick!
Identification Features
• Ontario’s only lizard, the Five-lined Skink is sometimes confused with
salamanders, because of their similar body shape. Salamanders, however, are
amphibians and do not have scales or claws.
• As the name suggests, they have five yellowish lines that run from the snout
all the way down to the tail. These lines fade in adult males.
• Juveniles have bright metallic blue tails, which fade in males but the colour
is somewhat retained in adult females.
• Adult males develop reddish-orange heads; this colour intensifies during
breeding season
Why are Five-lined Skinks so
remarkable?!
• Five-lined skinks are incredible creatures!
They change through several beautiful colours
throughout their lives and have some very
clever adaptations.
• The Five-lined Skink has the amazing ability
to detach part of its own tail if it is ever caught
by a predator.
• The detached tail wiggles around for a few
minutes, distracting the predator and possibly
giving the skink enough time to get away!
• A new tail will eventually regrow, but it will
most likely be shorter and less colourful.
Estimated range of Five-lined Skinks in Ontario