The Caldwell Zoo, which has been captive breeding, hatching and releasing Texas horned lizards (Phrynosoma cornutum) for 5 years, has introduced a brand new hatch of the little miniature dinosaurs.
“We’re very devoted to the trigger. These lizards are an necessary a part of the ecosystem and actually, a cherished a part of Texas lore,” Katelyn Lenhart, supervisor of reptiles on the Caldwell Zoo mentioned in a press launch asserting the hatching. “Folks used to develop up seeing these lizards on a regular basis. Now, they’re a uncommon sight. The species need assistance to outlive. So, we’re doing all we will to ensure they’re right here for generations to return.”
A clutch of Texas horned lizard eggs and a hatchling. Picture courtesy Caldwell Zoo. Used with permission.
The zoo has constructed habitats designed particularly for mating pairs of the horned lizards and as soon as the eggs are laid, they’re moved to an incubator to extend their possibilities of survival. As they hatch, the lizards are moved to a local weather managed surroundings the place they’re fed termite larva. They’re then monitored for a number of weeks and the launched onto protected land close to Mason Mountain, TX, the zoo mentioned. Monitoring of the lizards happens and they’re apparently doing effectively.
The place Did All The Attractive Toads Go?
A number of Launched Texas Horned Lizards Survive Into Brumation
“It’s working and that’s what’s necessary,” says Yvonne Stainback, curator of birds and reptiles at Caldwell Zoo mentioned. “This yr, we’ve over seventy hatchlings to reintroduce into the wild. That’s our greatest launch but. Plus, we’ve discovered mature lizards within the launch space that have been hatched at our heart. That exhibits that these lizards are really surviving within the wild. I’m happy with my crew and their dedication to this undertaking. We’re making a distinction. We’re serving to to save lots of one other species from extinction. And we’ll hold doing it so long as wanted.”
Texas Horned Lizard Data
Horned lizards (Phrynosoma), typically known as “sexy toads” or “horned frogs” are fairly presumably essentially the most gregarious genus of lizard species in North America. Of the 15 identified horned lizard species in the US, the Texas horned lizard is essentially the most broadly distributed. As soon as considerable 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 weight-reduction plan of harvester ants.
