African striped skink

Two pale stripes running down a brown back make this one of the easier African skinks to recognise. It is a sun-lover and a climber, as happy on a tree trunk, a garden wall or a lodge roof as on a rock outcrop, and it becomes quite bold around people.

Unlike many Trachylepis species, which lay eggs, the striped skink usually gives birth to live young. This is a nice example of how often reproductive mode varies within a single genus of skinks.