Horny Ninja Lizard
I also came upon this little reptile during my hike in the Weminuche Wilderness of Southern Colorado. Was this a horny toad? I’d call them that in the past but when I took the time to identify this little devil I found out that they aren’t toads at all but Greater Short Horned Lizards. They’re found from Saskatchewan, Canada in the north to Nevada in the west, and from Texas to Mexico. They’re called “sit-and-wait” predators who eat ants, beetles, and grasshoppers. Being so well camouflaged, the hapless bugs they call lunch might never even see what ate them. Apparently I did not arrive at lunchtime.