![]() Some animals have prehensile feet, trunk, nose, arms (in case of octopuses), or tail. Prehensility of an appendage or organ is one such adaptation wherein an appendage/organ is used by the animals for holding or grasping objects. There is no dearth of examples on how various animals have adapted or developed physical and behavioral attributes to be able to survive in their environment. Often, these monkeys use their tails like an extra arm or leg to hold on to branches. It is believed that this adaptation in New World monkeys might be due to the presence of dense forests in South America. While the latter are native to Africa and Asia, the former live in Central and South America, and some regions of Mexico. Occasionally, a family will allow an outsider to join their group by “adopting” an orphaned young skink.The prehensile tail is a characteristic feature that differentiates New World monkeys from the Old World monkeys. When offspring reach the age of 1, they are expelled from the group and move on to form their own circulus. Prehensile-tailed skinks are among a rare group of reptiles that form communal groups (called a circulus). On average, a prehensile-tailed skink can live for 25 to 30 years. ![]() Females give birth to only 1 offspring per season. Their gestation period is relatively long, averaging 6 to 8 months. The female prehensile-tailed skink gives birth to her young as opposed to laying eggs. ![]() The prehensile-tailed skink is almost exclusively herbivorous, eating fruits and vegetables, however they will consume the occasional insect. They can grow to be up to 30 inches long, making them one of the largest of the skinks. These skinks have large powerful claws and a long prehensile tail, which enables them to sustain a rich arboreal life. They have a short tongue that is broad, flat and fleshy. Black, yellow, and shades of various greens decorate the back, tail, and belly in random spots or stripes. These large skinks range in color from dark green to a near black. The head of the prehensile-tailed skink is large and flat with small eyes. It can also be found in trees of semi-cleared areas and cultivated food gardens. Native to the Solomon Islands, the prehensile-tailed skink is strictly arboreal and inhabits the upper canopy of forested areas. It is part of our educational collection and may only be seen in programs inside or outside of the zoo. Elmwood Park Zoo participates in the Prehensile-Tailed Skink Species Survival Plan, a shared conservation effort by zoos throughout the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The Solomon Islands government has regulated trade on these and other reptiles to help avoid decreasing populations. The prehensile-tailed skink is a concern due to capturing for the pet trade and habitat loss from logging. The skink will get most of its water intake from its diet of foliage, fruit, and vegetables, but may rarely descend to the ground for water. They are the largest species of skink and the only completely herbivorous skinks. They are the only skinks with a prehensile tail, meaning it can be wrapped around branches for balance. A few include monkey-tailed skinks, Solomon Island skinks and Solomon Island green tree skink. Prehensile-tailed skinks have numerous names.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |