7/27/2019 Millewa Skink

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The Millewa Skink (Hemiergis 

millewae) is a small skink that lives

in Mallee vegetation in southern

Australia. The species is classified as

‘critically endangered’ in Victoria by

the Department of Sustainability and

Environment.

Millewa Skinks grow to 58mm long

and can be identified by their visible ear

depression and five fingers and toes.

Individuals are dark olive along the top of

their body and pale olive on their sides.They have a red-orange blurred stripe

extending from each ear to their hind

limbs and black spots on their long tail.

Millewa Skink(Hemiergis millewae) 

At a glance

Millewa Skinks are:

 •  listed on the Flora and Fauna

Guarantee Act and recognised

as ‘critically endangered’ on

the Advisory List of Threatened

Vertebrate Fauna;

 •  found in mallee woodland

spinifex; and

 •  restricted to two population in

Victoria, within Murray Sunset

National Park.

 Distribution

Millewa Skinks are one of seven species

of reptiles with a distribution that is

essentially limited to Australia’s Mallee

habitats. Within this vegetation type,

Millewa Skinks occur in three separate

areas, the south-eastern interior of

Western Australia, south-central South

Australia and north-western Victoria.

In Victoria, Millewa Skinks were first

recorded in 1973 on the far western edge

of Murray-Sunset National Park. In 2007,

the discovery of an individual in the fareastern corner of Murray-Sunset National

Park brought the total number of known

populations in Victoria to two.

Above: The Millewa Skink (Hemiergis millewae) Photo: P. Robertson, Wildlife Profiles Pty Ltd.

 Habitat 

Millewa Skinks are only found in mature

Mallee vegetation, specifically very large,

old spinifex (Triodia scariosa) clumps that

have a substantial build-up of leaf litter

underneath them. This habitat is likely to

provide Millewa Skinks with a suitable

micro-climate to shelter from the harsh

environmental conditions, as well as a

ready source of invertebrates to feed on.

The presence of large old spinifex is a

critical resource for Millewa Skinks and

explains why the lizards have not been

recorded in areas that have recently been

burnt. Severe wildfire poses a substantial

threat to Millewa Skinks due to their

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limited distribution and inability to move

away from fire danger.

 Decline and threats

Millewa Skinks are listed on the Victoria’s

Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 

(FFG Act) and are recognised as ‘critically

endangered’ on the Department of

Sustainability and Environment’s Advisory

List of Threatened Vertebrate Fauna in

Victoria.

Ongoing threats include:

 •  inappropriate fire regimes;

 •  grazing of spinifex by over-abundant

introduced herbivores;

 •  invasion of spinifex by pest plant

species;

 •  destruction and disturbance of individual

lizards and their habitat by vehicles andpeople;

 •  predation by introduced foxes and cats;

 •  climate change.

 How can I help?

The Mallee Catchment Management

Authority (CMA) encourages the

community to assist the recovery of the

Millewa Skink by:

 •  retaining and appropriately managing

areas of remnant vegetation, particularly

Mallee woodlands with mature spinifex

unaffected by fire;

 •  refraining from large-scale intentional

burning of land in proximity to Mallee

habitat;

 •  adhering to existing roads and tracks

while travelling through parks and

reserves.

 How can I find out more?

In 2011, the Mallee CMA undertook a

survey of the Millewa Skink in the

Murray-Sunset National Park. For detailson the results of this survey, more

information on the Millewa Skink or to

report a sighting, please contact the

Mallee CMA on 03 5051 4377.

Photo: The Millewa Skink. Photo: P. Robertson, Wildlife Profiles Pty Ltd.

Photo: Millewa Skink habitat. Photo: P. Robertson,

Wildlife Profiles Pty Ltd.

 References

Cogger HG (1989) Herpetofauna.

In: Mediterranean landscapes in

Australia – mallee ecosystems and their management, Eds JC Noble and RA

Bradstock, CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.

Nimmo, DG, Spence-Bailey, LM, Kenny,

S (2008) Range extension of the Millewa 

Skink Hemiergis millewae in the Murray- 

Sunset National Park, Victoria , The

Victorian Naturalist 125: 110-113.

Robertson P, Bennett AF, Lumsden LF,

Silveria CE, Johnson PG, Yen AL, Milledge

GA, Lillwhite PK and Pribble HJ (1989).

Fauna of the Mallee study area in

north-western Victoria . Technical report

series No. 87. Arthur Rylah Institute for

Environmental Research, Department of

Conservation, Forests and Lands, Victoria.

Swan M and Watharow S (2005) Snakes,

lizards and frogs of the Victorian mallee .

CSIRO Publishing: Sydney.

Wilson S and Swan G (2010) A complete 

guide to reptiles of Australia . New Holland

Publishers: Sydney.

Project PartnersPublished March 2013

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