African Striped Skink

African Striped Skink

Trachylepis striata

Silhouette: David Orr · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Masai Mara National Reserve

In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%

43 Verified sightings at Masai Mara National Reserve From 2019 to 2026
910 In all 17 parks
November Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the African Striped Skink

The African striped skink (Trachylepis striata), commonly called the striped skink, is a species of lizard in the skink family (Scincidae). The species is widespread in East Africa and Southern Africa. It is not a close relation to the Australian striped skink, Ctenotus taeniolatus.

Both sexes grow to a total length (including tail) of 25 cm (9.8 in). Their tails are often missing due to predators. Striped Skink, Destination Kruger Park Media related to Trachylepis striata at Wikimedia Commons Boulenger GA (1887). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume III.... Scincidæ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 575 pp. + Plates I-XL. (Mabuia striata, pp. 204–205; Mabuia wahlbergii, pp. 205–206).

Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 uMkhuze Game Reserve 🇿🇦 South Africa
~60%
2 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~40%
3 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~30%
4 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~30%
5 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~30%
6 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
7 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
~30%
8 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~30%
9 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
~30%
10 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
11 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~30%
12 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
13 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~30%
14 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~20%
15 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~20%
16 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
17 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Maputo 🇲🇿 Mozambique
~60%
2 Lilongwe 🇲🇼 Malawi
~50%
3 Addis Ababa 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
~50%
4 Kigali 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~40%
5 Nairobi 🇰🇪 Kenya
~40%
6 Dar es-Salaam 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~30%
7 Durban 🇿🇦 South Africa
~30%

Closest Relatives at Masai Mara National Reserve

No species of the same family or order lives in Masai Mara National Reserve, so these are its closest relatives here: other reptiles.

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an African Striped Skink in Masai Mara National Reserve?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report an African Striped Skink sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve on a given day, based on 43 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 4th most-seen of the 13 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an African Striped Skink in Masai Mara National Reserve?

April, June, August and November

In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report an African Striped Skink in Masai Mara National Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in January, March and May, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see an African Striped Skink?

Between 11 am and 2 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most African Striped Skink sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Masai Mara National Reserve the best place to see an African Striped Skink?

14th of 17

Of the 17 parks where we can rate African Striped Skink sightings, Masai Mara National Reserve ranks 14th at about 20%. The best odds are in uMkhuze Game Reserve (South Africa, about 60%), Arusha National Park (Tanzania, about 40%) and Kruger National Park (South Africa, about 30%). All parks ranked.

Where does the African Striped Skink sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the African Striped Skink is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Masai Mara National Reserve (43 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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