Skinks: Scincidae

Many skinks live mostly underground, hidden beneath logs, rocks, or among piles of leaves and twigs. Many of those that live underground dig their own burrows. The night skink builds a large tunnel system, which is marked by a large pile of sand near the most-used entrance. This lizard often has to share its tunnels with other animals that drop in day and night to sleep or to escape the weather or a predator. Some other species of skinks are good climbers and spend time on tree branches and tree trunks. While most of them live on land, some do not mind taking a dip in the water. Several species, like Gray's water skink and the eastern water skink, spend part of their time in ponds or streams.