### Identification The Alpine She-oak Skink (*Cyclodomorphus praealtus*) is a master of camouflage, resembling a burnished copper rod lost in the grass. This slender, snake-like lizard reaches a snout-vent length of about 130mm, characterized by its remarkably short, almost vestigial limbs that it tucks away when gliding through dense vegetation. Its dorsal scales are typically a rich olive-green to coppery-brown, often peppered with fine dark flecks that create a "smoky" appearance. Unlike its bulkier cousins, the Blue-tongued lizards, *C. praealtus* has a narrower head and a pinkish-grey tongue. Look for the distinctive dark edges on its scales, which give it a subtle, reticulated texture.
### Habitat & Range This is a true high-altitude specialist, restricted to the "sky islands" of southeastern Australia. You will only find them in the subalpine and alpine zones of the Snowy Mountains (NSW) and the Victorian Alps, generally above 1,500 meters. They favor treeless alpine herbfields and tussock grasslands, specifically where thick mats of Snow Grass (*Poa* spp.) provide a labyrinthine sanctuary from the biting mountain winds.
### Behaviour Observing one requires patience; they are "cryptic baskers." Rather than sitting atop rocks, they weave through the thatch of grass, exposing only small patches of their body to the sun. They are diurnal but highly secretive. Because the alpine summer is fleeting, they are viviparous (giving birth to 2–9 live young), an evolutionary strategy to keep developing embryos warm within the mother’s body rather than leaving eggs in the freezing soil.
### Diet These skinks are the gentle foragers of the heath. They move slowly, hunting for soft-bodied invertebrates like succulent slugs, snails, and spiders hiding in the moist leaf litter. They also occasionally supplement their diet with fallen alpine berries or succulent plant shoots.
### Fascinating Fact Despite being cold-blooded, these resilient reptiles spend up to six months of the year buried beneath a thick, insulating blanket of snow! They survive in a state of torpor within the "subnivean space"—the small gap between the frozen ground and the snowpack—where temperatures remain a constant, survivable 0°C.