We’re seriously low on readers’ wildlife photos, so I implore you to send in any good photos you have. Thanks!
If you know some biology, you probably realized that “horned toads” are not toads at all, but lizards (genus Phrynosoma). They are disappearing due to human incursion into their habitats and competition from fire ants, who displace the non-fire ants that are the lizards’ normal diet. But reader Robert Lang has photographed one for the “spot the” photo below. Robert’s words are indented.
We’ve had a relatively cool, wet spring in Southern California, but we’ve now had a series of warm days, which have brought out both wildflowers and wild fauna. The flora and some of the fauna will go into an upcoming Reader’s Wildlife Photos, but I wanted to share one sighting of a relatively uncommon creature: a Blainville’s Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma blainvillii), also called the San Diego horned lizard, but here in the San Gabriels, we’re rather far from San Diego. They used to be quite common, but a combination of rampant collection for the novelty trade in the early 20th century, plus changes in habitat (e.g., non-native ants pushing out the native species that they primarily eat) has reduced their numbers considerably. I’ve seen them occasionally on one particular ridge above Altadena, and was pleased to see one today. They have great camouflage for this terrain; can you see this one here?
Click the photo to enlarge it if you must, but try to spot it first. The reveal will be at noon Chicago time.
OMG I think I got it
My new technique – which is mine – is to continuously sort of move the photo in and out – so continual zoom. Impossible for me without.
I think there’s something to it – my Technique(TM), which is mine.
[JK everyone ]
You can’t possibly know that, could you? 🙂
I got it too. I magnify and scan. Impossible for me without.
My lawyers will be in touch.
You’ve given me a good laugh
I’m quite sure I see it but won’t give away its position. Thanks for the photo. Between know-nothing students and know-nothing house Rethuglicons & their viral conspiracy theories — news is depressing.
I hate these….but then always have to do them 😂
Think I have it.
Although not 100% sure what a horned toad looks like.
Found it.
I think the horned toad is somewhere in the administration of Northwestern University.
Got it! 17 seconds.
Got it, but I have years of experience looking for them – a different species, but they’re all difficult to see if they don’t move.
Same.
I had a grad student who sewed little backpacks for Texas horned lizards to carry radio transmitters. You could track the lizard to a square meter of ground, but then spend a good 5 minutes trying to see it. Usually it was the backpack that got spotted, not the lizard itself.
Yup.
I was radiotracking short-horned lizards in Alberta and had the same sort of experience. But mine had the transmitters sutured to their backs, and the transmitters were coated in substrate to camouflage them, so it was even harder to spot the lizards. They could move as much as 100 m in a day, which didn’t help.
Has your student published yet?
Found it. Confirmed by enlarging the photo.
I see him. I’m a horned toad freak! We used to have them all over the place and I’ve noticed them missing.
I had to work for this one
I spotted it!
I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley, and used to see them occasionally. We kids called them “horny toads,” with no pun intended.