Ono-i-Lau Ground Skink
CR

Ono-i-Lau Ground Skink

Leiolopisma alazon

Declining

Photo: (c) Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Amphibians & Reptiles, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)

Overview

Leiolopisma alazon, also known as the Lauan ground skink or Ono-i-Lau ground skink, is a species of skink found on Lau Islands of Fiji. The species is currently critically endangered due to a rise of the yellow crazy ant and rats on the islands.

Leiolopisma alazon faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range in New Zealand. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances, while introduced predators such as rats, cats, and mustelids pose significant predation pressure on remaining populations. Climate change may further exacerbate habitat degradation and alter the microhabitat conditions this specialized skink requires for survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

This critically endangered skink inhabits native grasslands, shrublands, and rocky outcrops in New Zealand's South Island. It requires specific microhabitat conditions including loose soil for burrowing and adequate vegetation cover for thermoregulation and protection from predators.

Forest· major

Conservation measures underway

Species recoverySpecies reintroductionEx-situ conservation

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Ono-i-Lau Ground Skink classified as Critically Endangered?
Ono-i-Lau Ground Skink is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Leiolopisma alazon faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range in New Zealand. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances, while introduced predators such as rats, cats, and mustelids pose significant predation pressure on remaining populations. Climate change may further exacerbate habitat degradation and alter the microhabitat conditions this specialized skink requires for survival.
Where does Ono-i-Lau Ground Skink live?
Ono-i-Lau Ground Skink occurs in Fiji. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Ono-i-Lau Ground Skink?
The main threats to Ono-i-Lau Ground Skink are 11.1, 5.3, 8.1, and ai-1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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