Reptile & Amphibian Forums

me and a friend went to orange beach alabama to find some snakes. and while we were down there we met this guy who said he has found texas horned lizards around that area! has anyone elts heard about this? and were can i find some for some photos!?!

Reportedly established along the coast in some localities. May occur in relatively open, sandy areas.
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Herp Conservation Unlimited
Mexicana Group Directory
Photography by Joseph E. Forks

thanks any exact locations?

Aside from East Texas, where they seem extinct..

Matthew

As I understand it, these adjunct populations are from times passed when thousands of these were sold at circuses etc. and people let them go or they got a way and eventually took a hold. There are populations in South Carolina I beleive and also I have heard for Florida as well. I would assume there are healthy ant populations in these areas? WHile they can subsist on insects being opportunistic, ants seem to be their preferred food item..
While there seems to be a little negativity about repatriating horned lizards in areas that once had populations given the environment is still sustainable and ecologically viable, one argument about the subject is indeed these populations that have taken a hold, look at all the South American species that have taken a hold in Florida as well.
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www.phrynosoma.org

There used to be a viable population of Horned Lizards in Bay and Walton Co. Fl. I've collected them in the 1970's but whether they still exist today is hard to say. They were near the Gulf in sand dune type habitat....TC

Excellent Tom-it is amazing to me with no disrespect meant in any way; that with all the science behind the Horned Lizard, as our organization has sought to repatriate through legal means some horned lizards in some prime areas the resistance to this is very interesting, and while some of the studies on this have not faired well, and so the negative approach to repatriation by academics and those in authority, it is interesting indeed how these populations were able to maintain themselves. I think there may be others that have not been documented. Thanks for the info, someone down that way should make a stab and seeing of this population is still viable, certainly this area must have a lot of ants and the right environment, it also could be that these out of area populations are not being affected by whatever is causing some of the demise of the horned lizard on beyond encroachment which is really most of it. In pristine areas in all of its ranges the HL is still very abundant. However I beleive also there is something else that has not been identified or missed that is also contributing to the Texas Populations even out in areas like Uvalde where there should be good populations--I often when doing research look for scat even if I am doing research another specie, and I very seldom run into a horned lizard out there in the scrub. It is interesting. I understand the urban sprawl and how that affects populations but out in some of these areas where I traverse here in South Texas one would think the population mass would be much more robust especially when compared with stories from old timers in the area of how many were once present in these areas....Its an interesting subject. Cheers!!!
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www.phrynosoma.org

Back in the early 80's I found a few near Garden City SC.The area that I found them has been heavily developed since then and I don't know if they can still be found.
Trey

im glad to c so many posts! yeah ill deff have to go back and see if we can find any!
thanks everyone!
jake

There are populations in South Carolina and what I have been told is that during the Spanish American War, several soldiers really liked them and brought some back to South Carolina where they established themselves in Horry County.

Not sure if that is true or not but I have heard it from several sources...shrug?

dc