Lizard speed dating and a possible first: Inside the San Antonio Zoo’s race to save the iconic Texas ‘horny toad’ (opens original article in a new tab)

The San Antonio Zoo is working to save the Texas horned lizard through breeding and release programs, facing challenges like predation and habitat loss, while tracking genetic lineages to ensure population sustainability.

• San Antonio Zoo breeds and releases Texas horned lizards to combat population decline due to habitat loss and predation
• Zoo's conservation team discovered a potential wild-born offspring of their breed-and-release program
• Lizards face challenges including predation, specialized diet, and low survival rates in the wild
• Zoo aims to create self-sustaining populations and promote habitat restoration for conservation benefits
• tldr: The San Antonio Zoo is working to save the Texas horned lizard through breeding and release programs, facing challenges like predation and habitat loss, while tracking genetic lineages to ensure population sustainability.
• valence': 1}</think>{