Chill Out With Tallulah the Skink

Her friends call her Lulu

Tallulah the Solomon Island Skink with her tongue out

You can tell just by looking at Tallulah that she's not like those other skinks. Native Californian skinks have long snaky bodies, smooth scales, and tiny feet; perfect for scuttling under forest leaves and hiding under rocks. With her gorgeous bumpy scales and impressive size, Tallulah is built for life in her native Solomon Islands, an archipelago off the coast of Papua New Guinea.

Tallulah the Solomon Island Skink Looking Up
Size, color and scale texture set Tallulah apart from Californian skinks
Deniz Durmus

So what kind of life would she lead in the wild? One big hint is her crypsis: her lovely brown and yellow coloration makes a great camouflage for life in the trees. Predators would have a hard time telling the difference between bark, leaves and lizard, especially one as chill as Tallulah. From her tiny teeth to her prehensile tail, this skink is full of fascinating surprises.

So check out this video from our own Live Animals crew, and get to know NHM's favorite lizard. You can even call her Lulu.