Scenes from our July 4 bike ride down Pinto Canyon Road

The road heading southwest out of Marfa, FM 2810, is known as Pinto Canyon Road, and the first 30 miles or so are paved, making it a terrific ride for cyclists.  Yesterday we took a ride about 12 miles out and 12 miles back and saw four cars and just as much wildlife!

BONUS
Cycling in 1895
A report on the July 4th 1895 cycling event!

Click on the images to get a closer view

Baby Short-horned Lizard

Horned lizards (also known as horny toads, horned frogs, and horned toads) are not as common as they once were, with habitat destruction being the major factor in the decline of the population. This little guy is a short-horned lizard--the species has a range from Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, all the way south to Sonora, Chihuahua and Durango, Mexico. 

The species lives in short-grass communities of the the northern Great Plains, in sagebrush and greasewood of the Great Basin, and on mountain hillsides and valleys with pinyon-juniper (which is where we found this wee one), aspen and coniferous forests throughout the range.  This short-horned lizard was found at the Davis Mountains Preserve, part of The Nature Conservancy's preservation area in our region, north of Fort Davis.

The lizards are so cute, many folks are tempted to keep them as pets.  Howver the Horned Lizard Conservation Society warns that they're very difficult to keep in captivity, and taking one home will likely lead to the animal dying a slow death.  We put this one back in the grass where we found him on the side of the mountain, so others may enjoy him and his offspring.

Want to learn more?  Check out http://www.hornedlizards.org/ and consider becoming a member of the Horned Lizard Conservation Society, based in Austin.

Our thanks to the Tierra Grande chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist program, the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center, and the Davis Mountains Preserve!

Survivor! At Fort Davis' Davis Mountains Lodge and Expeditions

Scott and Jenny Turner of Davis Mountains Lodge and Expeditions, were relieved to return to their property in Fort Davis after the fires to see the burn line right up to the driveway next to their guest cabins, and their entire property intact. Still they worried about their resident horny toads whom they've adopted as mascots....until yesterday, when they found "Spike" safe and apparently happy after the fire.  They have high hopes they'll find the others in the coming days.

TPWD's website on horned lizards says this: 
"Everyone loves horny toads, but for many Texans the fierce-looking yet amiable reptile is only a fond childhood memory." And,  "Once common throughout most of the state, the horny toad (or Texas Horned Lizard) has disappeared from many parts of its former range over the past 30 years. Its disappearance has been blamed on many factors, including collection for the pet trade, spread of the red imported fire ant, changes in land use, and environmental contaminants. For the most part, however, the decline of the Texas Horned Lizard has remained a mystery with little understanding of the management actions that could be taken to restore it."

The Turners and their staff have been cultivating the lizards' habitat and protecting the harvester ants the lizards like to eat.  Their work has paid off, and they've seen 1-2 new lizards each year.  The The Turner organize group trips on the nature, history and culture of West Texas, Mexico and the rest of the Southwest from their Lodge based in Fort Davis; so they have a special interest in preservation of the horned lizard.  You can read more about TPWD's Horned Lizard Watch here.

The Lodge and cabins are open to visitors, as are the restaurants and other hotels, motels, and B&Bs in Fort Davis.

Check out the Lodge's facebook page here, and their website here!

Birds do it, bees do it....

....even horny toads do it! One of the most beloved species in the state of Texas, the horned lizard, is listed as a threatened species in our state. This pair was found in the Van Horn cemetery this Sunday. To learn more about the horned lizard, click here.

Leggett Week: Horned Lizard

Texas' official state reptile, the Horned Lizard (or horny toad) was captured by this week's featured photographer, David Lee Leggett. This amiable reptile is a favorite of Texans, but it has disappeared from many areas of its previous range. Texas Parks and Wildlife has more information here.

You can see more of Leggett's work at his website, www.phlography.com Leggett currently lives in Dallas, but is a frequent visitor to West Texas.

To learn more about Horned Lizards, plan to visit one of our regional nature centers when you're in West Texas. Check them out here, on the Texas Mountain Trail website.