Threatened horny toads get home at El Paso Zoo

Amazing! Growing up these little hornie toads were everywhere! I used to collect the small ones........now they are threatened little creatures. Took me back some years!

It's to bad that a couple of years ago I called the EP Zoo and informed them that I had found a seven inch TEXAS horned lizard and was interested in giving it to the zoo.
I guess they didn't have any where to keep it.

What is sadder is that EP city crews have leveled and cleared the property where this toad was found, just off southside road in the lower valley.

I did return the toad to close to the ant hill where I found him.

I can only hope that the little guy made it.

I remember as a kid in the 1950s in West Texas, a small town called la Mesa Texas, there were lots of horny toads and lots of long tailed lizards

This was an interesting story to read and get informed.When we used to hike the Franklin mountains,we used to see quite a few horned toads and Gila monsters.Those sitings were blessings now that I think about it.Because now there is few of those creatures.Let us hope that they survive in the zoo so others can enjoy the Texas lizards.

If they are "horny" toads, let them reproduce. J/K I hope they save these creatures.

Veronica wrote:

Amazing! Growing up these little hornie toads were everywhere! I used to collect the small ones........now they are threatened little creatures. Took me back some years!

We could walk into the desert a block from our house in Northeast and find these little guys. It's definitely sad they they are disappearing.

First of all they are called Horned lizards not horny lizards. Also,in this area around El Paso there are many many of them and there are two species of them. The Texas Horned Lizard is protected by the government and the Round Tailed Horned Lizard is not protected by the government. I see many of both species all over the El Paso area including Las Cruces.

I saw some of those horny little guys at Chicos last week. After seeing what they were doing it's no wonder why the their population has dropped.

Can these reptile "Experts" spell R-O-U-N-D-U-P?
The main problem- why Horned Lizards in west Texas are in decline and disappearing- is not a lack of Harvester Ants, it's pollution. Horned Toads are very sensitive to herbicides and other toxic chemicals.

Roundup herbicide sprayed by homeowners, businesses, some farmers and by the TX Dept. of Transportation along highways and I-10 are killing the horned toads. Please STOP buying and using Roundup. It is very toxic and very persistent in the environment.

In west Texas, we have plenty of harvester ants- the basic food of the Horned Lizard- there is plenty of these ants for them to eat.

Very interesting stories! I haven't seen one in many years, come to think of it! Back in a small town in West Texas, we had them all over the place!

Great Horny Toads!

I have been called horny but never a toad.

The Horned Lizard Conservation Society would be the place to contact if anyone knows of a lost horned lizard. They have specialists trained in and permitted to transfer horned lizards.

Mary wrote:

The Horned Lizard Conservation Society would be the place to contact if anyone knows of a lost horned lizard. They have specialists trained in and permitted to transfer horned lizards.

There are a lot of those lizards in Fort Stockton, Texas.

Mary wrote:

The Horned Lizard Conservation Society would be the place to contact if anyone knows of a lost horned lizard. They have specialists trained in and permitted to transfer horned lizards.

The Horn Dog Conservation Society meets at Red Parrot all the time

My name is Toad and I'm one horny little bastard. Can I get a home at the zoo?

Bill Addington wrote:

Can these reptile "Experts" spell R-O-U-N-D-U-P?
The main problem- why Horned Lizards in west Texas are in decline and disappearing- is not a lack of Harvester Ants, it's pollution. Horned Toads are very sensitive to herbicides and other toxic chemicals.
Roundup herbicide sprayed by homeowners, businesses, some farmers and by the TX Dept. of Transportation along highways and I-10 are killing the horned toads. Please STOP buying and using Roundup. It is very toxic and very persistent in the environment.
In west Texas, we have plenty of harvester ants- the basic food of the Horned Lizard- there is plenty of these ants for them to eat.

These poisons should be banned. They are also harmful to humans. These chemicals built up in the organs of your body and never leave. They cause all kinds of medical problems for the rest of your life. They are sold for profit, and that profit is killing you. People who use these chemicals are stupidly hurting themselves and their environment. These chemical companies don't give a damn about you and me, only their profits. Wake up and refuse to buy or use this crap.

I grew up in East Texas and there were Horny Toads all over the place. They all seemed to just disappear in the late 70's-early 80's. It is a sad thing to not see them. Road runners were all over the place too.

Something is killing off all of them.

Too bad...

I grew up in las Vegas Nv. There were many Horny Toads as we called them .
Now I havent seen one in 30 plus years

I remember as a young girl being given a quarter to go down to the local store in my granddad's Nash Rambler to get a Grape Nehi. I remember several men sitting on the benches in front of the store making comments and leering at me in a provocative way and whistling and making cat-calls. The thought of these very people being given some kind of protection offends me! I am going to write Sarah Palin! She will make this right! My tax dollars should NOT be used like this!