204 captive-raised Texas horned lizard hatchlings released into the wild

​A coalition of zoos and wildlife scientists recently released 204 captive-raised Texas horned lizard hatchlings into the wild, marking a milestone in an attempt to save the species.

The Texas horned lizard is one of more than 1,300 species of concern throughout the state, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The latest release was done after evidence showed that that previously released lizards are now reproducing.

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, which would bring resources to save hundreds of species, is currently moving through Congress.
This August, TPWD biologists and graduate students discovered 18 hatchlings at Mason Mountain WMA believed to be the offspring of zoo-raised hatchlings that were released in 2019. It is believed to be the first time captive-reared horned lizards have survived long enough in the wild to reproduce.
Efforts to save the species have been on-going for the last 10 years with the TPWD, Texas Christian University and zoos in Fort Worth, Dallas and San Antonio studying how to restore them. The researchers tried locating adult lizards, capturing them in the wild and releasing them on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). Many of the relocated lizards were killed by predators.



Focus has recently shifted to captive breeding of the lizards at partner zoos, allowing researchers to release hundreds of lizards at once.
Biologists are optimistic that continuing research and restoration will lead to self-sustaining wild populations of the Texas horned lizards.