SAN ANTONIO – The Texas Horned Lizard Reintroduction Project at the San Antonio Zoo has a lot to be excited about with another batch of Texas Horned Lizards being hatched recently.
The project now has about 100 young lizards which makes it enough to conduct their first release into the wild this fall.
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“I am proud of the work we are doing to bring back the beloved Texas Horned Lizard,” President & CEO of San Antonio Zoo Tim Morrow said. “While we have a multitude of global conservation projects, it’s especially rewarding to be able to secure a future for wildlife right here in our backyard.”
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Many in South Texas have fond memories of the Texas Horned Lizards, also known as horny toads, which are the official state reptile of Texas.
Populations of the lizards have declined or disappeared altogether in some parts to the state. While they are not listed as endangered or threatened thanks to conservation efforts in recent decades, those efforts must continue to keep the populations healthy.
The Center for Conservation and Research team at San Antonio Zoo has been working on breeding and preserving the lizards.
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After being released, the San Antonio Zoo will use a horned lizard detection canine that is trained to find them, their shed skin and eggs.
The San Antonio Zoo is hoping to release thousands of horned lizards annually.