Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. In the arid plains and rocky deserts of North America, a ...

Some animal adaptations look like they were designed by a committee of mad scientists. The greater short-horned lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi)—Wyoming’s state reptile, also dubbed the “horny toad” ...

A reptile researcher explains why diverse native vegetation, healthy soils and insect-rich food webs are essential for horned lizard habitat.

When it comes to creative survival tactics in the animal kingdom, few creatures can compete with a small, spiky reptile that weaponizes its own blood. The greater short-horned lizard (Phrynosoma ...

STAMFORD — There’s probably not much chance that if you grew up in Texas and are of a certain age that you didn’t catch and keep a horned lizard as a pet. Of course, you called it a horny toad because ...

Oklahoma's scorching summer temperatures may cause many wildlife to retreat, but species like the Texas horned lizard enjoy soaking in the sun's rays. "Summer is the best season to watch for reptiles ...

When my grandson Parker was 11 years old, he called me from a coastal island with exciting news. Problem was I took the call outside a restaurant with people jabbering and at a spot where I had a ...