Texas Horned Lizard Watch

Spotters

If you don't have access to a particular site that is likely to support Texas Horned Lizards, you can still contribute to our monitoring effort. Simply record any Texas Horned Lizards that you see through the year. If you make an effort to sight Texas Horned Lizards for us, but do not see any lizards, then please let us know - even our "unsuccessful" participants are important!

Close-up of Horned Lizard

Why watch for horned lizards?

For the horny toad...

Already the results of Texas Horned Lizard Watch are improving our understanding of where Texas Horned Lizards still exist and how that relates to the abundance of harvester ants and red imported fire ants. Over the long term, we will be able to assess how patterns of land use, fire ant expansion, urbanization, etc., relate to the abundance of horned lizards. We may thus be able to offer suggestions on land management or fire ant control that could ultimately benefit Texas Horned Lizards.

For you...

For your part, participants will be provided with annual updates on the project, along with other interesting information on the Texas Horned Lizard. For participants that provide data over several years, TPW will also offer posters, books, or other forms of recognition or reward for long-term service. Finally, many of our participants tell us that Texas Horned Lizard Watch has provided them with the opportunity to remember, and in some cases to relive, a time long ago–of endless summers filled with searches for the elusive horny toad....

To conduct a Texas Horned Lizard transect you need to set up a route that is at least 3 miles long. Walk, ride, or drive the route, recording all Texas horned lizards and ant beds that occur within 3 feet of your route on either side. Transects should be conducted at least three times between May and September.