Cobble Skink

It had one of the easiest descriptions for a species’ home range you could imagine: ‘‘Behind the Granity pub.’’

The cobble skink was discovered in 2007, on a stretch of sand at Granity, on the West Coast. Once it was probably spread widely on West Coast beaches. As of 2017, 40 cobble skinks were known to exist, all literally behind the pub.

Last year, the entire population was captured and relocated to Auckland Zoo. It was fortunate timing – earlier this year, a storm swept through Granity, and likely would have destroyed the skinks’ habitat.