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Meeting some of the unique wildlife at the Jacksonville Zoo

Introducing Herman, the prehensile-tailed skink, and Goober, the Aldabra tortoise

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Prehensile-tailed skinks and Aldabra tortoises. If you’re unfamiliar with those animals, get ready for a quick lesson.

RELATED: The Jacksonville Zoo has been a city staple for 100 years. We take you on an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour

Prehensile-tailed skinks, which are also known as monkey-tailed skinks or Solomon Island skinks, are herbivorous lizards that typically have reduced limbs and smooth, overlapping scales.

The animal is the longest member of the skink family and is endemic to the Solomon Islands.

At the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, News4JAX had the pleasure of meeting Herman, a prehensile-tailed skink who seemed to show an interest in becoming a news anchor.

We also had a chance to meet an Aldabra tortoise named Goober.

The Aldabra tortoise is the second largest species of tortoise in the world, and are typically found on the Aldabra island off the coast of Africa.