How to Protect the Texas Horned Lizard

Get informed and get involved

• 1

  Learn to identify Texas horned lizards. About 2.5 to 4 inches long, they have short, pointed snouts, flat, broad bodies and a short tail. Their more distinctive features are a crown of spines at the back of its head, the two longest giving the appearance of horns. Texas horned lizards can be light brown, tan or grey with dark brown spots rimmed with yellow or white behind their heads.

• 2

  Participate in the Texas Horned Lizard Watch program. Offered by the Texas Nature Trackers of Texas Parks and Wildlife, citizens are invited to help monitor horned lizards and their habitat. The watch includes a data collection kit and instructions. Results from the data will help with protecting and restoring lizard populations.

• 3

  Buy a Texas conservation license plate. Funds raised from the sale of these special plates, the most popular of which features the Texas horned lizard, help fund wildlife diversity projects, including horned lizard research.

• 4

  Join the Horned Lizard Conservation Society. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to the recovery and conservation of Texas horned lizards.

• 5

  Keep some pasture native if you are a rancher. Wildlife buffers of native pasture will help by providing habitat for Texas horned lizards. The lizards prefer open, native grasslands with patches of bare ground attractive to their prey -- harvester ants. Plant native bunch grass in your yard instead of traditional Bermuda or St. Augustine grass. Horned lizards don't move well in thick grasses and become targets for dogs, cats and large birds. Bunch grass allow passage around the bunches and its seed heads are an important food source for harvester ants.

• 6

  Use ant bait selectively. The main food source for Texas horned lizards is harvester ants. When trying to eliminate fire ants, put out ant bait and stay and watch. Sweep the bait up once the fire ants have taken some. Harvester ants form large nests, 3 to 6 feet across with only one entry hole. They may be red and black or all red or all black and are not harmful to people.