African gold skink

Description

This species is characterised by its long, thick body, short, rounded snout and its golden, light-brown colouring, with a series of orange stripes and spots on its back and sides. The underbelly is whitish. The scales are small, flat and with a regular overlapping distribution. The legs are short but strong, ending in five toes, letting them dig holes in the ground easily.
Its area of distribution is very large, ranging from eastern Algeria, North Africa, through the Near East to Central Asia.
It mainly inhabits sunny prairies located around areas with dense shrubs. Diurnal, it hides in underground burrows or under stones and trunks at night and during the hottest hours of the day.
They basically feed on invertebrates, although they can also consume plant products like fruits, seeds and tender shoots.
This species is very popular as pets.