Can you spot the tiny critter hiding in this photo? Hint: They’re multiplying in Texas

Take a close look at this photo and you’ll find a tiny critter staring at you with one eyeball.

If you can’t spot it, here’s a hint: The species is multiplying in Texas with the help of the Fort Worth Zoo.

San Angelo State Park shared a photo of the baby Texas horned lizard, commonly called a horny toad, blending masterfully into the soil. For years, the state has been trying to revive the threatened species in collaboration with the zoo.

That work seems to be paying off.

“We have seen more babies this year than the previous (five years) combined,” San Angelo State Park posted Sept. 30 on Facebook. “Wonderful news for this precious species that calls West Texas home.”

Last month, the Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area, located about 100 miles away, said its employees spotted six baby horny toad hatched from parents raised in captivity at the Fort Worth Zoo, another encouraging sign for this species.

Texas Parks and Wildlife released over 200 horned lizard hatchlings into the wild a couple of weeks ago.

Previously distributed throughout the state, the Texas horned lizard population dropped significantly and the species was listed as threatened in 1977. Their range also includes Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico.

The Texas horned lizard has numerous horns and it’s the only species with dark brown stripes extending from its eyes.

Among its defenses, the horned lizard can squirt a stream of blood from its eyes. It also blends in with vegetation and can inflate to appear larger.

This story was originally published September 30, 2021 at 7:09 PM with the headline "Can you spot the tiny critter hiding in this photo? Hint: They’re multiplying in Texas."