Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world.

Why they're awesome: Greater short-horned lizards have a squat, flat shape and short snouts, which makes them look more like amphibians than reptiles — hence the nickname "horny toads." But these ...

Eastern Montana's short-horned lizard, also known as a horny toad, has a unique way to stay safe. The reptile can shoot blood out of its eyes. The blood has a bad taste that comes from eating ...

The next time you’re enjoying Montana’s great outdoors, be on the lookout for peculiar creatures with a bizarre defense mechanism — shooting blood out of their eyes. State wildlife officials want to ...

In places, the Missouri River Breaks look more like the American Southwest than Eastern Montana. Wind-scoured rimrocks drop into devilishly deep, tortured canyons. Cactus, yucca and stunted grasses ...

The next time you’re enjoying Montana’s great outdoors, be on the lookout for peculiar creatures with a bizarre defense mechanism — shooting blood out of their eyes. State wildlife officials want to ...

The greater short-horned lizard is a master of disguise and is also good at hiding, so a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist is asking all of you to help out. There is very little information ...

Horned lizards are part of our Nevadan heritage. Mark Twain mentions them in his book, "The American West," the Western Shoshone noted the presence of horned lizards as spiritually significant, and ...

Wyoming's state reptile, the Greater short-horned lizard, commonly referred to as the horned toad, will be the subject of the 29th annual Wyoming Conservation Stamp Art Competition.