Not many reptiles venture into Tasmania's temperate rainforests, and as a consequence herpetologists have often overlooked this
environment as having herpetological potential. However I had noticed some unusual looking skinks in the Myrtle Forests in Cradle
Valley, and recently decided they deserved a closer look. It turns out that they are Mountain skinks, which had not been recorded in
rainforests or as far north as Cradle Valley. These lizards are only active when the sun is able to penetrate the forest canopy, and
while his means they are not active for as long as their open woodland-dwelling cousins, the rainforest floor provides a rich bounty
of invertebrates providing them with enough food to saisfy their requirements in a much reduced foraging area.