Explore Texas Master Naturalist – Elm Fork Chapter!

“Fort Worth Zoo’s Texas Horned Lizard Reintroduction Program: Trials and Tribulations”

The Fort Worth Zoo manages a large population of Texas horned lizards for reintroduction efforts in a dedicated greenhouse. This presentation will provide a general overview of their status, management of the breeding population, and research that has occurred to establish a new population of Texas horned lizards in Mason, Texas. The Zoo works closely with other breeding institutions and primary partners from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas Christian University for this effort, which has resulted in the release of over 3,000 hatchlings since 2017.

Speaker
Diane Barber
Senior Curator of Ectotherms
Puerto Rican Crested Toad Conservancy Founder, President
Fort Worth Zoo

Introduction
Diane Barber is the senior curator of ectotherms at the Fort Worth Zoo. She has worked in the zoological field for over 40 years and spearheads many conservation programs at the Zoo involving native species such as the Texas kangaroo rat, Louisiana pine snake, Houston toad, and the Texas horned lizard. She strongly believes that conservation should start in one’s own backyard and endeavors to work with local landowners and governing agencies to find practical means of coexisting and managing resources for wildlife long-term.