See a Horned Lizard

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Some of you might be saying, “That’s not a lizard. That’s a horny toad!” Actually, the animal popularly known as a horny toad is, in fact, a lizard. Horned lizards are very attuned to the sun. In the fall, they hibernate--burying themselves in the sand. They wait to emerge in spring until the temperatures get warm enough. After hibernation, they’ll lie in the sun until their body temperature rises enough. Then, they will begin foraging for food. Different horned toad species have specific diets, but most eat lots of ants, and other slow-moving insects on the ground, along with spiders, sowbugs, ticks, and on occasion, butterflies. At night, horned lizards dig themselves back into the ground--sometimes burying themselves three to four inches deep, and other times leaving their head and eyes exposed. Imagine coming upon that sight in the desert! Sadly, a few species of horned lizard are in danger. They may look fearsome with their body armor and the horn-like protrusions on their heads, but as many people know, horned lizards are actually easily captured and handled. They may try to scratch you with their horns or occasionally even shoot blood from the corners of their eyes (For real!), but they are quite easy to pick up. Because of this, lots of people take “horny toads” home as pets--not knowing that many horned lizards eat only a specific type of ant and need tons of them to survive. So, if you see a horned lizard in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, check it out and then leave it where you found it!

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