Rex Harland
The Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery's newest
exhibit, an Otago skink, has been officially named Treasure.
The museum project manager, Rachel Checketts, said there were
35 entries in the skink-naming raffle.
Yesterday afternoon, as the skink was preparing for her
afternoon bask under an ultraviolet light, 9-year-old Rex
Harland, of Invercargill, drew the winning entry and
officially named the skink Treasure, as suggested by Faye ,
of Alexandra, while other young museum visitors waited
excitedly for a glimpse of the rare reptile.
Treasure is the first permanent skink in the museum in about
six months. This week, Richard Gibson, the head reptile
keeper at Auckland Zoo, and Karin Ludwig, from the Department
of Conservation, visited the museum to inspect the skink
enclosure and install a UV light.
Miss Checketts said they had bought a surprise with them -
Treasure.
''This skink desperately needed a new home. It was getting
beaten up by the other skinks at the Landcare Research Skink
Breeding programme [in Alexandra].''
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.