Conservation :

The Otago skink has been assessed as Endangered by the IUCN, based on its very limited range and low total population.[1] As of 2012 the Department of Conservation (DOC) has classified the Otago Skink as Nationally Critical under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, and research into conservation management is ongoing.

Most threats to the species seem to derive from anthropogenic sources. Agriculture and mining have over time taken up much of its habitat, altering the landscape and removing food sources and cover. This was compounded by the introduction of mammalian predators. The Otago skink, having historically been exposed to only limited predation from native birds, was heavily impacted by the spread of house cats, rabbits, ferrets, and weasels in conjunction with the increasing lack of sheltering habitats.

Anthropogenic threats appear to be combining with natural traits suich as low productivity and late sexual maturity to inhibit the recovery of the species. Additionally, the skink currently requires a specialised habitat, leaving the populations isolated and small with virtually no room for relocation or expanding.

Conservation efforts consisting of habitat protection, predator-proof fencing and predator control[6] have been in force for some time. A management trial was developed in 2005 that lead to a major population recovery. Habitat conservation, predator control, and program monitoring became major objectives and have since proven successful, as skink numbers are slowly increasing. The Otago skink is currently fully protected under New Zealand law. DOC aims to continue efforts for management in situ, but some captive management has been carried out by breeders, conservation organizations, and zoos to ensure preservation from natural catastrophe.[2] At one point, it was estimated that the species would become functionally extinct; work to protect the population has made this less likely, but the species is still considered to be at risk of extinction.