Selection of artificial refuge structures in the Australian skink, Egernia stokesii

Abstract

At least three currently named subspecies of the rock dwelling skink Egernia stokesii from Western Australia (E. s. stokesii, E. s. aethiops and E. s. badia) have restricted distributions or are considered endangered. We tested preferences of the more common eastern form of E. stokesii (E. s. zellingi) for various artificial refuges made from paving bricks by offering alternative structures in enclosures and recording times spent on each. We found that lizards preferred refuges with more crevices. They did not discriminate between structures where the crevices were located higher or lower or between structures that did or did not have adjacent small bushes. However, lizard basking position was influenced by crevice height or by proximity of a bush. Our results are relevant where translocations of animals are a component of conservation management, and where artificial refuges are added to induce relocated individuals to remain or to increase resources for existing populations.