#23 Postcard Trivia 4.24.18
Is it a frog, toad, or lizard? This cute little reptile is officially a short-horned lizard. Because of its shape and size, it is commonly known as a horned toad, horny toad, or horned frog. I purchased this awesome postcard last month at a Buc-ee's travel stop on Interstate 20 in Texas. As the title on the image suggests, the Horned Toad is a Texas icon. In fact, it is the official State Reptile of Texas. As a child, my experience with "horny toads" was always positive. Despite the horned look, the "spikes" are not sharp. It was always easy to pick them up gently and enjoy them for a little while before letting them scamper away. Unfortunately, population growth, construction, and the reduction of the harvester ant (a horned lizard's favorite meal) in Texas has decreased the horned lizard's natural habitat causing their numbers to decline in populated areas. The Horned Lizard Conservation Society, based in Austin, TX, has been working since 1990 to educate the public about these great creatures and provide research funds for scientists to learn more about them. According to the ICUN Red List of Endangered Species, the horned lizard is not at high risk of extinction. That's good news! They are still thriving - just not in our backyards.
Horned lizards protect themselves from predators by using two unusual methods. One is to puff up their body to look like a spiky balloon. What is the other method that deters predators?
A. roll into a tiny ball B. hide in the sand C. squirt blood from its eyes
Hover over image above or touch image to reveal answer.
