reptiles

Skilton's Skink

The brilliant blue tail of a Skilton's Skink has baffled many a hiker and cyclist. Photo by Gary Nafis.

You’re walking along the tranquil trails of a pristine state park, deciding whether to partake of a Clif bar or a banana, when it happens. Rustling leaves catch you off guard. First thought: rattlesnake? A flash of electric blue, just within your peripheral, is all the more confusing.