Indian Forest Skink

Indian Forest Skink

Sphenomorphus indicus

Silhouette: Gopal Murali · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Taroko National Park

In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%

6 Verified sightings at Taroko National Park From 2019 to 2026
21 In all 2 parks
May Best month
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted

About the Indian Forest Skink

Sphenomorphus indicus (Indian forest skink) is a species of skink. Its habit is lacertiform; the distance between the end of the snout and the fore limb contained about 1.6 times in the distance between axilla and groin. Snout short, obtuse; loreal region nearly vertical. Lower eyelid scaly. Nostril pierced in a single nasal, or between a nasal and a postnasal; no supranasal; rostral convex, largely m contact with the frontonasal, which is broader than long, and forms a narrow suture with the frontal; the latter as long as frontoparietal and parietals together, in contact with the first, second, and third supraoculars; 4 large supraoculars, followed by 2 very small ones; first supraocular not much longer than second; 9 or 10 supracilianes, first largest; frontoparietals and interparietal distinct, former a little longer than latter; parietals forming a short suture behind the interparietal; no nuchals; fifth and sixth upper labials largest and below the eye. Ear-opening oval, smaller than eye-opening; no auricular lobules. 36 or 38 smooth scales round the middle of the body, laterals smallest. A pair of large pre-anals. When the limbs are pressed against the body,... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Doi Inthanon National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~20%
2 Taroko National Park 🇹🇼 Taiwan
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Guiyang 🇨🇳 China
~50%
2 Taipei 🇹🇼 Taiwan
~20%
3 Hangzhou 🇨🇳 China
~20%
4 Taichung 🇹🇼 Taiwan
~20%
5 Nanjing 🇨🇳 China
~20%
6 Guangzhou 🇨🇳 China
~10%
7 Hong Kong 🇨🇳 China
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Indian Forest Skink in Taroko National Park?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Indian Forest Skink sighting in Taroko National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 13th most-seen of the 14 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Indian Forest Skink in Taroko National Park?

March and May

In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report an Indian Forest Skink in Taroko National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April and September–February, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see an Indian Forest Skink?

Between 3 and 6 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Indian Forest Skink sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.

Is Taroko National Park the best place to see an Indian Forest Skink?

2nd of 2

Of the 2 parks where we can rate Indian Forest Skink sightings, Taroko National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Doi Inthanon National Park (Thailand, about 20%).

Where does the Indian Forest Skink sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Indian Forest Skink is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Taroko National Park (6 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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