The Texas Horned Lizard is the official reptile of the State of Texas. It also serves as the mascot of the TCU athletics program (we know TCU is the “Horned Frogs,” but it’s the same animal Phrynosoma cornutu).
However, the species is threatened and could be on the verge of extinction in its home state.
Thanks to the San Antonio Zoo, that threat has been curbed slightly as officials just released 34 horned lizards back into the wild!
Dr. Andy Gluesenkamp, Director of the Center for Conservation & Research at San Antonio Zoo, told KENS 5, "Something I love about this project is not only helping the Texas horned lizard but also providing this opportunity to others.
“We had volunteers, landowners, partner organizations and naturalists join us on this release, and seeing their participation and excitement is priceless."
According to the zoo’s website, the Texas Horned Lizard Reintroduction Project at Center for Conservation and Research (CCR) “seeks to restore the Texas Horned Lizard population by working with private landowners to introduce zoo hatched lizards in areas where it has disappeared in recent decades.”
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