The Texas horned lizard, the state’s official reptile, has been disappearing from its native range for six decades.
On Monday, conservationists released 55 more into the wild.
The release was carried out by the Center for Conservation and Research at San Antonio Zoo and its partner, Zoo Miami. It’s the latest action by the Texas Horned Lizard Reintroduction Project, an effort the zoo’s conservation center has led since 2017.
Monday’s release brings the total number of animals reintroduced to the wild to 428.
The Texas horned lizard has been the state reptile since 1993, but its population has been in decline due to habitat loss, pesticides and invasive species such as red imported fire ants, according to San Antonio Zoo officials.
“For so many Texans, the horny toad is a special part of growing up in this state,” Tim Morrow, president and CEO of San Antonio Zoo, said in a statement. “Seeing these animals return to the wild is a reminder of why conservation matters.”
Zoo researchers have previously documented the survival of released lizards, along with signs that they may be reproducing and expanding beyond the release site.
Of the 55 animals released, two were born and raised at San Antonio Zoo, 28 were rescued from a Texas ranch earlier this year, and 25 came from Zoo Miami. The release follows another earlier this month involving 24 horned lizards.
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