Sun tanning by cfulton

Photography • Animals • posted on Oct 28, 2009

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Description

A Cape Skink, out in the sunshine, posing on a fibre-reinforced cover and allowing me time to take a picture. Trachylepis capensis is probably the best known lizard in South Africa as it is common in gardens and has an extensive range in South Africa. Size ranges from 80-135 mm (3-5 in). It tames easily, and will eventually eat from one's hand. Such tame individuals may become very fat. Unfortunately, domestic cats have a considerable impact on the numbers of this lizard in urban areas. Like most skinks, the Cape skink is ground-living and shelters in tunnels that it digs at the base of bushes or boulders. It also favours any kind of debris to hide underneath and is, for example, particularly common at municipal dumps. It is a live-bearing species and gives birth to 5-18 babies in late summer. It is an active forager and hunts large insects. This was a big guy at the limit of the species size. Have a great mid-week! Clive

Comments (19)

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kgb224

2:29AM | Wed, 28 October 2009

Wonderful capture Clive.

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PSDuck

2:57AM | Wed, 28 October 2009

Great picture! Glad the guy stayed still for you!

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Meisiekind

4:14AM | Wed, 28 October 2009

Oeee - what a nice shot! The ones that reside in Johannesburg are much more skittish! Got to tell you - my son's kitten caught a baby of these and proudly carried it into the house! Kayla (granddaughter - 3y) saw this and all panicky came running to me and calling out load: "Ouma, Ouma... die kat het 'n krokodil gevang." (translated: "Grandma, Grandma - the cat caught a crocodile!) Needless to say - I almost fell over laughing! The innocence of a child! At least she had the shape right!!! Hiehie...

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bmac62

6:36AM | Wed, 28 October 2009

Good one Clive...snakes I am not too fond of but for some reason I like lizards. Thanks for the first rate photo and the background. Skink is a most memorable name too:)

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