Northern Blue-tongued Skink

The Northern blue-tongued skink is a medium-sized lizard endemic to New Guinea and Northern and Eastern Australia. It is named for its long blue tongue, which is believed to be a defense mechanism used to scare predators.

Range & Habitat

Semi-desert, scrubland and mixed woodland areas of Northern and Eastern Australia and New Guinea.

At the Zoo, our blue-tongued skinks are outreach animals that appear in zoo education programs.

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Diet

In the Wild: Insects, snails, fruits, berries, wildflowers and carrion.

At the Zoo: Fruit, greens, cockroaches, crickets, superworms, mealworms and Mazuri reptile pellets.

Life Span

In the Wild: 12-20 years
In Human Care: 18-20 years.

Fun Facts about the Northern Blue-tongued Skink

The Northern blue-tongued skink can shed its tail to escape predators and then re-grow it.
When frightened, it will puff up its body, stick out its long, blue tongue and hiss to scare predators.
Skinks are shy and seldom stray from their shelter. They are not very agile and the animals they eat are mostly slow moving.
Although they technically "hatch" from eggs, they do so inside the mother's body and are then "born" alive.
Some biologists think that the blue-tongued skink has adapted to mimic the venomous death adder, a snake that shares its range in Australia. Its head shape and coloration resemble the death adder's, so a quick look may be enough to send predators in the other direction.