A Bermudian mini-Jurassic Park is packed with robust little reptiles, a top university lecturer revealed yesterday.

For Southampton Island in Castle Harbour is home to a thriving population of hundreds of Bermuda's unique lizard -- the tiny skink.

University of London scientist John Davenport has been on the Island for almost two weeks to conduct a study, sponsored by the Parks Department in collaboration with the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo, of Bermuda's only unique land animal.

After ten days of putting the island under the microscope, Professor Davenport estimated there are between 400 and 450 skinks living there.

And he said there was a "healthy population with a mix of young, medium age, and mature lizards''.

Professor Davenport said younger skinks -- which have bronze fronts and blue tails -- look different from their big brothers and sisters.

He added: "In my opinion, these young reptiles are some of the most beautiful lizards in the world''.

Professor Davenport noted that the distribution of the lizards on the island was "patchy'' as the majority of them congregate around a fort and toward the north side.

The professor tailed the skinks by capturing the reptiles and marking them so he could track their movements.

Traps were set up every ten metres along the Island and consisted of plastic containers with sardines and cod liver oil.

Prof. Davenport explained that the smell of cod liver oil around the rim of the container attracted the lizards inside the container to the sardines, where they would become trapped.

The physical measurements of each captured skink were recorded before they were released, in order to follow up Conservation Officer David Wingate's theory that skinks on the main island are bigger than those on surrounding islands.

Prof. Davenport also found the same skinks were usually found in the same traps or ones nearby which supports the theory that skinks live their whole lives within an area of about ten metres.

"This is the classic picture of an island species that has evolved quickly without introduced predators,'' he said.

He is also interested in discovering whether there are different types of skinks in different areas on the main Island and other islands.

The research team also did a mini-survey of the skinks on Nonsuch Island, also in Castle Harbour, but Prof. Davenport claimed that as the Island was so big, it would take thousands of hours to complete a full survey.

And he added the massive task would also need the help of numerous trained volunteers.

Prof. Davenport did note however, that most of the skinks captured on Nonsuch were the more mature lizards which he said could be because there are no surviving youngsters.

He also said that they were hoping to learn more about maintaining skinks in captivity.

And Anne Glaspoole from the Biodiversity Project at the Aquarium said they have plans to see if they can breed skinks for research.

She added that she eventually hopes to have a skink exhibit at the Aquarium.

But Aquarium curator Jack Ward said the difficult decision is where the skinks should be taken from without damaging any of the skink populations in certain areas.

Mr. Ward said Mr. Wingate was of the opinion that they should be taken from somewhere on the mainland.

Dr. Davenport explained feral cats, rats, other introduced lizards and kiskadees were the biggest survival obstacles for the skinks.

He also said loose trash was deadly to skinks, as they get caught in bottles and containers and are unable to get out.

He said that since the skink had been officially listed as an endangered species by the World Conservation Union, the Government and the Bermudian community had a responsibility to protect the existing population.

"There is a certain degree of urgency as there is a downward pattern in the skink population,'' he added.

And Mrs. Glaspoole said the Biodiversity Project has placed the conservation of skinks as one of its top priorities.

SKINK STUDY -- Professor John Davenport (second left) with skink project supporters (from left) Biodiversity Project representative Anne Glasspoole, Works Minister C.V. (Jim) Woolridge and Director of Parks (designate) Candy Foggo.