Solomon Islands skink subspecies ("C. z. zebrata") is found on the islands of Choiseul Island, New Georgia, Isabel, Guadalcanal, Ngela, Malaita, Makira (Solomon Islands), Ugi and Santa Ana. The northern subspecies ("C. z. alfredschmidti") is known from the islands of Bougainville and Buka and the Shortland Island Group. Bougainville and Buka are geographically part of the Solomons Archipelago, though politically part of Papua New Guinea. Both subspecies of the Solomon Islands skink are strictly arboreal, usually inhabiting the upper canopy of forested areas throughout its range. It commonly occurs in the strangler fig tree ("Ficus sp."), provided the epiphytic growth of its several
Malaita Fiji. The 1870s were a time of illegal recruiting practices known as blackbirding. Malaitans are known to have volunteered as indentured labourers with some making their second trip to work on plantations, although the labour system remained exploitative. In 1901 the Commonwealth of Australia enacted the Pacific Island Labourers Act 1901 which facilitated the deportation of Pacific Islanders that was the precursor to the White Australia policy. However many islanders remained and formed the South Sea Islander community of Australia. Many labourers that returned to Malaita had learnt to read and had become Christian. The skills of literacy and protest