Skinks: Scincidae

According to the World Conservation Union (IUCN), three species are Extinct, which means they are no longer in existence. Twenty-six others are listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable, which means they face an extremely high, very high, or high risk of extinction in the wild. Five are Near Threatened and are likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future; and seven are Data Deficient, which means scientists need more information before they can make a judgment about the threat of extinction. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists three skinks as Threatened or likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future: the Round Island, bluetail mole, and sand skinks.