The San Antonio Zoo and Zoo Miami introduced yesterday the discharge of fifty Texas horned lizards (Phrynosoma cornutum) at a ranch in Blanco County, TX. The lizards got here from seven clutches that had been raised on the San Antonio Zoo’s Heart for Conservation & Analysis (CCR). They had been approximate 2.5 to three.5 months outdated on the time of the discharge and weighed between 3.4 and 12 grams, in line with a press launch posted on the San Antonio Zoo’s Fb web page.
“Collaborating on this launch was a novel alternative,” Dr. Andy Gluesenkamp, Director of the CCR stated within the put up on social media. “The presence of influential figures like Josh Abbott and worldwide friends highlights the widespread help and enthusiasm for our efforts. By rigorously evaluating candidate launch websites and partnering with landowners, we’re laying the groundwork for the profitable reintroduction of this treasured species.”
Because the Texas Horned Lizard Reintroduction Mission launched in 2017, 258 captive born and bred lizards have been launched into the wild. The mission additionally depends on the The Texas Horned Lizard Detection Canine Community with help from Chiron K9 to trace the actions of those lizards. The canines are skilled to odor the lizard’s scat, or poop, as they transfer about their new environments.
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“We’re exceptionally happy with this milestone, which represents a beacon of hope for conservation worldwide,” Tim Morrow, President & CEO of San Antonio Zoo stated. “Our collective efforts should not solely reviving the horned lizard inhabitants however are additionally enhancing biodiversity throughout Texas. This mission exemplifies the facility of collaboration in reaching significant conservation outcomes.”
The Texas horned lizard is listed as Threatened by the state. Picture by Matt Jeppson/Shutterstock
Texas Horned Lizard Data
Horned lizards (Phrynosoma sp), typically referred to as “sexy toads” or “horned frogs” are fairly probably probably the most gregarious genus of lizard species in North America. Of the 15 recognized horned lizard species in the US, the Texas horned lizard is probably the most broadly distributed. As soon as plentiful in a lot of the Southwest, the Texas horned lizard has disappeared from a lot of its vary in Texas and Oklahoma. It’s listed as Threatened by the state. This is because of a wide range of elements, together with lack of habitat, planting of non-native grasses, conversion of land to pastureland and agricultural use, and the introduction of the invasive fireplace ant, which preys upon the native ants that horned lizards require to outlive. These little dinosaurs don’t make good pets as a result of they require a gentle eating regimen of harvester ants.
