Ol' Rip the Horned Toad Ol' Rip the Horned Toad Ol' Rip (died January 19, 1929) was a horned lizard (commonly referred to as a "horned toad" or "horny toad") whose supposed 31-year hibernation as an entombed animal is believed by some and doubted by others. His name is a reference to the fictional character Rip Van Winkle. In 1897, a horned lizard was placed in a cornerstone of the Eastland County Courthouse in Eastland, Texas along with other time capsule memorabilia. When the courthouse was torn down 31 years later, the cornerstone was opened on February 18, 1928, a live horned lizard was produced,
Texas toad water bodies for breeding include the Gulf Coast toad ("Incilius valliceps"), the green toad ("Anaxyrus debilis"), the Great Plains narrow-mouthed toad ("Gastrophryne olivacea") and Couch's spadefoot toad ("Scaphiopus couchii"). The Texas toad sometimes hybridizes with Woodhouse's toad ("Anaxyrus woodhousii") or the Great Plains toad ("Anaxyrus cognatus"). The Texas toad has a wide range and a large total population and is one of the most common toads in the southern United States. It is tolerant of changes in its habitat and is present in cultivated areas as well as grasslands and savannahs. No particular threats have been identified and the International