What’s long, scaly, and sleek but not a snake? A skink!

Of all the lizards in the world, quite a lot of them are skinks. There are more than 1,500 kinds of skinks across the globe. So surely there is one kind or another in a neighborhood near you.

As you can see here, a typical skink has a slim, slinky body with a pointy head, short legs, and a long tail.

So what’s up with the bright-blue tails? That tells you these are young skinks. A colorful tail on some kinds of skinks may be the first thing a hungry skink-eater (such as a hawk or fox) notices. If it goes in for the grab, the tail can break off. During the confusion, the main meal escapes, leaving behind only a twitchy tail. Later on, the skink just grows a new tail.

VIDEO: WATCH A SKINK IN ACTION!

BACKYARD TIPS

• Look for skinks during daytime, when they’re scrounging for food: mostly insects and other creepy-crawlies.
• Look quickly! If a skink notices you first, it can dart away and hide faster than you can blink.
• Provide places for skinks to hide, such as loose piles of rocks, sticks, or leaves.
• Don’t look for skinks during hot or bad weather. They’ll be hiding out. And they hibernate during winter.
• Watch for skinks out sunning themselves on rocks and logs or on garden fences, walls, and patios.
• Avoid using chemicals in your yard. And keep pet cats indoors.

MAKE IT! Can you really eat a skink? Sure—if it’s the soft pretzel kind. Here’s how to make one!