La Mananara Field Site, Madagascar. Wildlife Madagascar’s field team recently had a rare encounter with one of Madagascar’s most elusive rainforest residents: the Crenn’s skink (Flexiseps crenni), a species found nowhere else on Earth.
At first glance, the animal might be mistaken for a snake. Its forelimbs and hindlimbs are so small that they can be difficult to see, each featuring just two tiny fingers or toes, giving the skink its long, slender, serpent-like appearance.
So little is known about this elusive species that spotting one at La Mananara was an incredibly exciting surprise for the team. Sightings like this offer a rare glimpse into the lesser-known corners of the forest’s biodiversity, and underscore just how much is still left to learn about the species that call it home.
La Mananara is one of Wildlife Madagascar’s key rainforest field sites, home to a wide range of threatened and lesser-known wildlife, from lemurs to elusive reptiles like the Crenn’s skink. Finds like this highlight the value of sustained, on-the-ground fieldwork, since species this cryptic are easy to overlook without a consistent presence in the forest.