Join the Wildlife Diversity Webinar March 18
Hop online on March 18, 2020 from noon until 1 p.m. to hear about the TPWD Conservation License Plate Program funded research by Texas A&M University researchers Danielle K. Walkup, Toby J. Hibbitts, and Wade A. Ryberg: Movement, Home Range, and Habitat Use of the Spot-tailed Earless Lizards
CLICK TO JOIN WEBINAR
Overview: The conservation of rare species is notoriously difficult mainly because of the lack of information about their natural history. This is definitely the case for the spot-tailed earless lizards (Holbrookia lacerata and H. subcaudalis). For this study, we radio-tracked individuals from two populations to estimate movement potential and home range sizes, as well as understand habitat use. We’ll present the radio-tracking data and compare the results to other similar species, as well as discuss their habitat preferences and the implications for management.
Author intros: The research team is based at the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute in College Station, Texas, studying the ecology and conservation of reptiles and amphibians. Dr. Walkup is an Assistant Research Scientist whose research interests include population and landscape ecology, and working with species of conservation concern. Dr. Hibbitts is a Research Scientist as well as Curator of Amphibians and Reptiles at the Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collection. His research interests include behavioral ecology, evolutionary ecology, broader ecology, and to a lesser degree, systematics and conservation of amphibians and reptiles. He is currently involved in several projects in Texas and also continues his work on African herpetofaunal diversity and behavior. Dr. Ryberg is a Research Scientist whose research program focuses on diagnosing, understanding and resolving complex problems in conservation biology and natural resource management. He uses landscape, molecular, statistical and theoretical approaches to help realign these scales and develop successful conservation solutions and management policies.