UVALDE LEADER (Texas) 16 January 06 Duo seeks help in locating endangered lizard (Adam Yanelli)
Randy Cordero and Lou Hamby need the help of Uvaldeans in locating a missing lizard.
O.K., so it's not really missing, but the two men are trying to find out the eastern-most range of this Reticulated Collared Lizard in counties where they have not previously been reported to exist.
“It is an important part of the overall understanding in range and population dynamics of this lizard,” Hamby said Friday.
“We are private citizens with an interest in studying this species,” Hamby said in an e-mail sent to the newspaper last week. “It is important to the natural history of this lizard to determine its eastern-most range in central and west Texas of which this has not been determined by previous studies.”
Hamby, a Castroville resident, and Randy Cordero, are studying the lizard as private citizens under a Texas Parks and Wildlife permit.
“We are looking to locate the presence of populations specifically in Uvalde and Medina County,” Hamby said.
Currently, he said, Maverick County is the eastern-most range in which the lizard has been officially identified.
Hamby also stressed that he understands concerns over personal property rights and privacy issues.
“Like you, our families own land here in Texas and we are sensitive to the wishes of land owners with respect to publishing personal information,” he said. “
“It is a fact that most of our land contains various populations of threatened or endangered species such as the Texas Horned Lizard or the Berlanders Tortoise as well as other exotics,” he continued. “This is not one of those spotted owl studies.”
Hamby and Cordero are hoping that if anyone in Uvalde County has seen this lizard on their property, they will let them know.
“We appreciate any help you can give us with respect to locating these populations that have been sighted in and around Uvalde County,” Hamby said. “Thank you in advance for your help.”
Duo seeks help in locating endangered lizard