[best viewed full sized] Prehensile-tailed Skink (Corucia zebrata) This is another reptile shot taken at Chester Zoo's Tropical Realm last Sunday. The prehensile-tailed skink is a large lizard (the largest belonging to the family Scincidae), growing up to 80 cm in length. It is native to the Asian Solomon Islands, and possesses a prehensile (grasping) tail and four sturdy limbs equipped with very sharp claws. It is olive green is colour. It is a powerful climber and spends most of its life in the treetops eating leaves, flowers and fruit. It is primarily nocturnal, spending the day curled up in a hollow tree trunk or hidden in dense foliage. Breeding takes place in spring and a single youngster (or more rarely twins) is born seven or eight months later. The youngster is relatively large at birth: up to 25 cm in length and weighing over 100 g. The mother will guard her offspring for several weeks or months and will challenge any intruders. Young skinks mature and breed in around 3 years and live for around 25 years. Thanks for looking and any comments and critique are more than welcome and valued! Wishing a very Happy Easter to all!!