A Quiet Little Discovery in Mansfield: The Weasel Shadeskink

Local resident Steve Mahoney recently stumbled across a delightful and lesser-known local — the weasel shadeskink (also known as the weasel skink, Saproscincus mustelinus). This small, slender lizard is native to south-eastern Australia and is a lovely find in our part of the world.

Weasel shadeskinks prefer life close to the ground, where moist, shady pockets provide the perfect refuge. By day they shelter quietly under leaf litter, rotting logs, rocks or dense undergrowth, emerging at dusk or during mild daylight hours to hunt for small insects. Adults are only a few centimetres long and equipped with smooth brown-to-olive scales and long tails, perfect for blending into the woodland floor. Many individuals also sport a distinct pale “tear-drop” marking behind each eye — a charming detail if you’re lucky enough to get a close look.

Finding one here in Mansfield is more than just a fun encounter; it’s a positive sign for the health of our local habitat. These skinks rely on good ground cover and the presence of coarse woody debris, so their presence suggests our bushland — and even some gardens — are providing the shelter they need.

If you’d like to help these quiet little locals persist, the best thing you can do is leave nature as you find it: keep leaf litter, logs, rocks and natural understorey in place whenever possible. Small actions like these maintain the micro-habitats that species like the weasel shadeskink depend on.

A big thank-you to Steve for sharing his find — and for reminding us of the wonderful wildlife living quietly alongside us.