Over 140 Horned Lizard Hatchlings Released in State Park

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The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department released more than 140 Texas horned lizard hatchlings Wednesday at the Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area just west of Llano.

The Texas horned lizard is the official reptile of the state of Texas and is considered a "species of greatest conservation need" due to their population decline.

The Parks and Wildlife Department is now working alongside the Fort Worth Zoo, Dallas Zoo and the San Antonio Zoo to breed the "horny toads," as they are called, in a captive environment before releasing them back into the wild.

TP&WD officials say the horny toads have declined in population due to predators killing them.

The group hopes that the captive breeding program will ultimately lead to the self-sustaining wild populations of the Texas horned lizard.