A Dutch photographer, Sjoerd van Berge Henegouwen, has captured images of a rare reptile, the Western Serpentiform skink, which resembles a snake but has four tiny legs, at the Maasai Mara.
The skink, previously thought to be extinct, has a notched tongue, unlike the forked tongue of a snake. According to Dr. Philip Wagner, a German-based herpetologist, these are the first photographs of a living specimen of the Western Serpentiform skink.
Dr. Wagner stated, 'These are the first photographs of a living specimen Western Serpentiform skink. The only other pictures available show dead ones.' He added that the species' rarity is difficult to determine due to its elusiveness.
Sjoerd van Berge Henegouwen was at the Maasai Mara to photograph the wildebeest migration when he came across the skink. He said, 'I was in the Masai Mara to capture the big migration of the wildebeest herds and there were some rangers there to make sure people didn’t interfere with the herds.' A warden pointed out the creature, which he believed to be a potentially poisonous snake.
Upon closer inspection, Henegouwen realized it was not a snake due to the presence of little feet. He took pictures to identify the species later. After posting the images on Facebook, he was contacted by Dr. Wagner, who expressed interest in using the photos in a book about African reptiles.
Dr. Wagner emphasized the significance of the discovery, saying, 'This is a very important find. The only museum exhibits of them are dead ones, and these photographs are very detailed and show their true color and the way they move.' The photographs provide herpetologists with a better understanding of the species.
The recovered account cited reporting by Daily Mail,Nairobi Wire.
