FORT WORTH (CBSNewsTexas.com) — The horned lizard is a Texas icon.
Around the Fort Worth space, that is largely as a consequence of it being the mascot for Texas Christian University, though the title of the species is not “horned frog,” nor are they amphibians.
Although you might even see purple followers roaming round Fort Worth, the lizard itself just isn’t a part of town’s panorama.
Currently, Earth is within the midst of its sixth mass extinction occasion. Human enlargement throughout the planet—together with air pollution and searching—has worn out the houses of assorted crops and animals on an unprecedented scale.
Horned lizards are labeled a “threatened” species. Their habitat continues to shrink as folks and farms take over the wild prairie, the best biome for horned lizards. Before Europeans confirmed as much as the plains, these creatures could possibly be discovered as far east as Louisiana and Arkansas.
These days, their vary has been shrunk to the west of North Texas. In right this moment’s circumstances, they’re extra generally discovered dwelling alongside a line from Wichita Falls to Abilene and west.
There are ongoing efforts to convey these creatures again east. Both the Fort Worth and Dallas zoos have breeding packages. Texas Parks and Wildlife launch child horned lizards in locations the place the prairie has been restored in public lands.
What will be accomplished at home to assist the return of the state reptile?
There is a seed combine that may be planted in a yard that duplicates the native habitat of the horned lizard. The seed combine was created by Dusty Rhodes of Native American Seed.
The hope is that by establishing a string of prairie oases, horned lizards might discover their approach again east. This strategy would see outcomes inside a decade timespan, and would require establishing wildlife corridors. Providing a place for horned lizards would improve different wildlife populations, of which additionally stay of their atmosphere.
Horned lizards are a bell-weather species, that means they’re those which are first to go away a burdened biome and the final to return to a restored one. Because of this, if they will return to North Texas, it seemingly means different prairie wildlife has accomplished in order nicely.
