CCCA Let's Keep Comal Wild

Moths Are Part Of Our Ecosystem

When we think of pollinators, bees and butterflies often come to mind, but moths play a crucial part too. In fact, moths are essential pollinators, especially during the evening and night hours when other pollinators are less active. Moths, with their delicate wings and enchanting patterns, are attracted to fragrant flowers that open at dusk and emit sweet scents under the moonlight. They visit a wide range of blooms, from wildflowers to garden favorites, spreading pollen as they move from one flower to another.

What makes moths unique is their ability to reach deep into long-tubed flowers, which other pollinators may find challenging to access. As they sip nectar, they inadvertently transfer pollen, contributing to the fertilization and reproduction of flowering plants.

Next time you spot a moth fluttering by your garden or see a mesmerizing species at night, take a moment to celebrate their beauty and contribution to our ecosystem. #nationalmothweek

Frank Dietz, Comal County resident, CCCA Board Member, & Herald Zeitung monthly columnist

A Pandemic Window That Had Lessons & Meaning

By Frank Dietz
June 4, 2022

Here on a Comal County legacy ranch where we are privileged to abide, the day of radical public shutdown to seek control of the spreading Covid-19 remains quite vivid in my mind. It was akin to the sudden silence that hovered throughout the country on infamous 9-11. Infrequent flights in the flyways above us were notable for an extended period. Our own going and coming was at a sustained minimum along with the flow of traffic on the roadways nearby. We have settled into some of the social and family modifications that came with covid protectiveness and we are beginning to explore modified future activities cautiously.

Upon reflection, the pandemic has provided us with a window to any number of things long taken for granted or barely noted. In particular, both in the open grazing areas and the wooded stands for wild and pasture life a rich new world has emerged. In reverence and celebration, I want to take note of some of what our “pandemic window” has provided. Imagine a trek with me for observation and wonder purposes.

The acres available to us reveal habitats and dwellers often taken for granted. You might be surprised when I point your attention toward the opening in an aged live oak where a branch long ago has fallen and left an opening. Every late winter or early spring a pair of buzzards establish a nest. Their success is revealed when two young ones come up to the cusp of the opening and over time explore the nearby terrain and limbs. Usually, a third guard companion assists the parental pair in keeping them safe and a wary eye on my comings and goings. Similarly, near the base of another great tree we noted the checking out of a potential birthing site for a fox that frequents our surrounding area. Soon we see

the nursing female scouting for food. Some days later she brings her kits out to cautiously explore. In the period when we had no dog frequenting our fenced yard, she even brought them in as if to show us her offspring who remained quite playful. Another such presentation took place when the wild turkey hens brought poults to discover fallen bird seed from the feeders above. How frolicky and fun to watch!

When we look up to the highest reaches of the trees around us, we see nests for squirrels and a likely sizeable nest for a resident hawk. The nests and roosts for birds various and numerous with abundant songs are everywhere. If we remain very quiet, the golden cheeked warbler among some cedars may be apparent. In another wooded stand we see and hear the painted buntings making their annual extended visit. The cardinals that reside year-round decorate the trees and grassy areas with constant activity. Near a prickly pear cactus we notice a fawn curled up to be carefully camouflaged while its doe grazes. In the blooms of the cacti are honeybees and other imbibers finding treasured nectars. A woodpecker sounds his percussion pecking above us and a few yards away in trees and grasses we note the cooing of doves. Upon careful inspection we see a tiny cocoon-like pod swaying with a hummingbird egg.

These are but a select few of our wild neighbors that often went unnoticed until the quiet pause of the pandemic.

Hopefully these acres and some others in Comal will remain protected flourishing habitat. Toward that end Comal County Conservation Alliance strives to encourage preservation of acreage. Note these efforts at www.comalconservation.org.

Saving the Horny Toads: Bipartisan Federal Funding Might be the Answer to Texas Conservation

By Elena Bruess
August 30, 2022

Of the nearly 50 Texas horned lizards at the San Antonio Zoo lizard factory, a reasonable number of them have names.

There’s Poseidon and Pancake, Kermit and Data, Xena and Cowboy. Some of them have been at the factory since 2017, while others have just arrived. There’s a group of baby lizards, tiny and curious and raised in the lab, having just hatched in June, and there are lizards from the wild, which now bathe in fluorescent sunlight and wait for their load of crickets.

For Andy Gluesenkamp, the director of conservation at San Antonio Zoo’s Center for Conservation and Research, every single one of these horny lizards is both a star and an important piece of the Horned Lizard Reintroduction Project. The popular Texas reptile, warmly referred to as the horny toad by most, largely has disappeared from the state’s ecosystem due to habitat loss and the replacement of native landscapes with invasive plant species.

Because of this, Gluesenkamp and his conservation team have worked to reintroduce the horny lizards back into the wild with the aid and partnership of Texas landowners who will create a healthy native ecosystem specific for the lizards to thrive. This coming fall is the third year of reintroduction. So far, the team has released just over 100 lizards, and they hope to release even more in years to come.

“We’ve just released at one landowner’s site in Blanco County, but we’d like to release at more sites,” Gluesenkamp said. “We have other landowners and sites well past ready to go. We are just limited in our capacity to produce lizards in the laboratory. We thought this would be a five-year program. Now I see it stretching even longer.”

The Horned Lizard Reintroduction Project is just one example of how funding, or lack thereof, can affect endangered species programs in Texas. Good news is on the horizon for conservationists, however. The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, a bill that could pump about $50 million a year into wildlife programs and projects in Texas, is heading to the U.S. Senate with some bipartisan support. The act would provide $1.3 billion per year to the states and $97.5 million to tribal nations to implement conservation plans, habitat restoration and species recovery.

For the zoo’s lizards, the funding could expand the lab, extend the project, grow the conservation team and ultimately reintroduce a steady population of horny toads throughout Texas. If passed, it could be a game changer.

“I’m a hopeless optimist,” Gluesenkamp said. “The challenge will then be laid at the feet of the researchers, scientists who are hoping for the opportunity to do more. And speaking as one of them, we’re just raring to go.”

Texas horned lizards at the San Antonio Zoo are part of a conservation effort to bring the lizards back to Central Texas.

HISTORIC WILDLIFE LEGISLATION
Over a third of America’s fish and wildlife are threatened by extinction, and more than 1,600 species are listed under the Endangered Species Act, such as the golden-cheeked warbler, mountain lions and the rough-footed mud turtle. Because of this, state agencies, organizations and universities have worked for years both to protect animals that are endangered and to prevent species from becoming endangered.

Typically, most conservation work is the responsibility of state wildlife agencies, such as Texas Parks and Wildlife, and much of that funding — about 80 percent — comes from state hunting and fishing licenses and permits and federal taxes on gear, according to The Nature Conservancy. Unfortunately, that funding has decreased over the years because of the general loss in biodiversity.

Moreover, that funding is often focused on endangered animals that are popular for hunting or fishing — which can leave out the numerous animals that are not commercially important, such as the horny toad.

Because of these limitations, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act could be some of the biggest wildlife legislation since the Endangered Species Act in 1973. It passed through the U.S. House and already has 16 Republican co-sponsors in the Senate. The hope for many conservationists is that the act will pass without any issue.

The $50 million in funding will go directly to the state agency once approved, said Janice Bezanson, the executive director of the Texas Conservation Alliance. Then other agencies, nonprofit organizations, land trusts, landowners, researchers and anyone who is working with species with greatest conservation need can apply for these funds.

BRINGING HORNY TOADS BACK
For many, Texas horned lizards are a state staple — one that invokes fond childhood memories and long stories about searching for the little reptiles at the nearby park. Since the late 1960s, however, the beloved creature has almost disappeared from Texas wildlife. Areas that used to be abundant with horny toads, such as south San Antonio or around Southpark Meadows in Austin, are empty now, having chased the lizards out with development or habitat destruction.

“I like to joke that Texans love horned lizards as much as they hate all other reptiles combined,” Gluesenkamp said. “Landowners keep reaching out because they want to help and be a part of the program. We’ve engaged with dozens and dozens of them, and we’re hoping we can work with more.”

Texas horned lizards at the San Antonio Zoo are part of a conservation effort to bring the lizards back to Central Texas.
Jessica Phelps / Jessica Phelps

When the program first began, the conservation director worked with landowners on how to make their property as sheltered as possible for the lizards. This primarily meant removing invasive plant species and planting native grasses and wildlife in which the lizards can thrive. It also meant removing invasive fire ants and stopping the use of harmful pesticides.

So far, the lizards have been released in only one property in Blanco County, but Gluesenkamp believes the program has been successful. The team can analyze the species recovery by studying lizard feces. The horny lizard’s is recognizable by the little ant heads layered in the scat from the enormous ant diet the lizards eat daily. Because the lizards are hard to spot in the wild, the droppings help the team understand how the population is doing.

In a recent observation, the amount of scat produced revealed that the lizard population was about 10 times more than what the team was finding. Still, more time and research are needed to understand the full extent of the project.
“My hope is that we’ll be able to wrap up and see the results of our first release site two years from now,” he said. “Before then, I’d like to be flying on two to three additional release sites. And it’ll be great for the next landowners because we’ve been refining our approaches every single day.”

That’s why Gluesenkamp is so excited about the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act. The team released 84 lizards in 2020 and 27 last year, and it’s expected to release 23 this fall. The goal is 100 per year for three years followed by 25 every other year. Since the numbers have been lower than 100, the team will keep releasing every year until the numbers look good.

Bekky Musher-Hodges, conservation manager, and Andy Gluesenkamp, director of conservation, stand in front of their new labs at the San Antonio Zoo.
Jessica Phelps / Jessica Phelps
To help with this, the lab is expanding from one room to four, which means more lizards, more researchers to work with the species and more land for the reintroduction.

But Gluesenkamp won’t stop there. He’s looking at Texas conservation long term. The conservation lab also works with the Texas blind salamander and the blind catfish, both of which are endangered. Once the horny toads project proves successful, he hopes it’ll pave the way for more work on species that aren’t “as cute as these lizards.”

“I can say with a straight face that every nickel we get for this project goes to this project and this project alone,” Gluesenkamp said. “Hopefully people will look at this as a good investment, seeing the impact we have on the community, from grandparents to children, while we’re just diligently building our own program, and helping to start brush fires elsewhere.”

Elena Bruess writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. elena.bruess@express-news.net

In April, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) staff worked with scientists surveying salamanders at Rebecca Creek. Image courtesy of Pete Diaz, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Rebecca Creek Salamanders Could Warrant Federal Protection

By Stephanie Johnson
May 6, 2021

Lizard-like amphibians with elongated bodies and tails, short limbs and external gills are the focus of scientists keeping tabs on groundwater health in Rebecca Creek.In April, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) staff headed out to the area with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) scientists to collect salamanders to help determine what species are present and whether they warrant federal protection under the Endangered Species Act.

In April, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) staff headed out to the area with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) scientists to collect salamanders to help determine what species are present and whether they warrant federal protection under the Endangered Species Act.

GBRA shared photos of the expedition on Facebook today. It says spring salamanders who live there are Texas natives, an endemic species whose distribution is restricted to spring headwater habitats.

Rebecca Springs is a middle Trinity spring that helps provide baseflow to the Guadalupe River and inflows for Canyon Lake Reservoir. Located in northeastern Comal County, it flows from the base of the Cow Creek limestone bluff into Rebecca Creek, a tributary to the Guadalupe River above Canyon Lake.

Salamanders rely on clean, flowing springs like Rebecca Creek to maintain healthy populations.

“Salamanders are sensitive critters,” the conservation group Hill Country Alliance explained online. “With external gills and limited habitats, they are good indicators of groundwater health. They rely on clean, clear, flowing springs to maintain healthy populations. Pollution and

contaminants from surface water can drastically alter water quality. Hill Country residents rely heavily on groundwater, and the status of salamander populations can tell us how we’re balancing resource protection-and-development.”

According to the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association (WVWA), low water levels in aquifers lead to less spring flow and less dissolved oxygen in water. The organization also helps scientists survey salamanders and track spring flow and recharge to aquifers in northern Comal County.

Biologists at the University of Texas at Austin in January 2019 announced the discovery of three new species of groundwater salamanders in Central Texas.

The discovery was part of a project funded by USFWS through a contract with TPWD.

“Even if people do not care about salamanders, they care about maintaining the quality of the aquifer systems that provide most of Texas with its freshwater,” David Hillis, a professor of integrative biology and senior author of the paper, told TPWD magazine.

“Fortunately, what’s good for the salamanders is also really good for the people.”

Jackrabbit

Habitat Loss

Habitat loss—due to destruction, fragmentation, or degradation of habitat—is the primary threat to the survival of wildlife in the United States. When an ecosystem has been dramatically changed by human activities—such as agriculture, oil and gas exploration, commercial development, or water diversion—it may no longer be able to provide the food, water, cover, and places to raise young that wildlife need to survive. Every day there are fewer places left that wildlife can call home.

MAJOR KINDS OF HABITAT LOSS

Habitat destruction: A bulldozer pushing down trees is the iconic image of habitat destruction. Other ways people directly destroy habitat include filling in wetlands, dredging rivers, mowing fields, and cutting down trees.
Habitat fragmentation: Much of the remaining terrestrial wildlife habitat in the U.S. has been cut up into fragments by roads and development. Aquatic species’ habitats have been fragmented by dams and water diversions. These fragments of habitat may not be large or connected enough to support species that need a large territory where they can find mates and food. The loss and fragmentation of habitats makes it difficult for migratory species to find places to rest and feed along their migration routes.
Habitat degradation: Pollution, invasive species, and disruption of ecosystem processes (such as changing the intensity of fires in an ecosystem) are some of the ways habitats can become so degraded, they no longer support native wildlife.

MAJOR CAUSES OF HABITAT LOSS
Agriculture: Much of the habitat loss from agriculture was done long ago when settlers converted forests and prairies to cropland. Today, there is increasing pressure to redevelop conservation lands for high-priced food and biofuel crops.

Land conversion for development: The conversion of lands that once provided wildlife habitat to housing developments, roads, office parks, strip malls, parking lots and industrial sites continues, even during the current economic crisis.
Water development: Dams and other water diversions siphon off and disconnect waters, changing hydrology and water chemistry (when nutrients are not able to flow downstream). During the dry season, the Colorado River has little to no water in it by the time it reaches the Sea of Cortez.
Pollution: Freshwater wildlife are most impacted by pollution. Pollutants such as untreated sewage, mining waste, acid rain, fertilizers and pesticides concentrate in rivers, lakes and wetlands and eventually end up in estuaries and the food web.
Climate change: The emerging driver of habitat loss is climate change. Wildlife that need the cool temperatures of high elevations, such as the American pika, may soon run out of habitat. Coastal wildlife may find their habitat underwater as sea levels rise.

HOW TO COMBAT HABITAT LOSS
Combat habitat loss in your community by creating a Certified Wildlife Habitat® near your home, school, or business. Plant native plants and put out a water source so that you can provide the food, water, cover, and places to raise young that wildlife need to survive.

Sources

In Search of Wildlife-friendly Biofuels: Are Native Prairie Plants the Answer?, Science Daily
Precious Heritage: The Status of Biodiversity in the United States. Stein, B.A., J.S. Adams and L.S. Kutner. Oxford University Press, New York: 2000.

Wildlife Corridors: Solutions to Fragmented Habitats

For too long, a labyrinth of roads, fences and sprawl has penned wildlife into smaller and smaller habitats. This can push whole ecosystems out of balance, cut off genetic flow between populations, leave animals short of key resources, interrupt migration cycles and leave species more susceptible to other challenges like disease, wildfires and climate change.

It can also lead directly to animal deaths as wildlife attempt to cross busy roads. The Humane Society estimates that vehicle collisions kill more than one million large animals each year on U.S. roads—that’s roughly one large animal every 26 seconds, and that’s not counting smaller mammals and birds who are struck. Endangered animals, such as the ocelot, are especially at risk. Dr. Sharon Wilcox—Texas representative for Defenders of Wildlife—noted that “the leading cause of ocelot deaths in Texas are vehicular collisions.”

Lynn Cuny—founder and executive director of Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation—noted the saddening fact that “because of urban encroachment,” there is nowhere “where wild animals are not affected by us and everything that comes with us. There is not one animal anywhere who is truly safe from a vehicle.”

Photo of the Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge in San Antonio provided by Jewell Lee Cozort

We can’t undo all of the development in this country, but we can get clever about how to connect these small habitat “islands” by using corridors and restoring some semblance of complete ecosystems. Doing so can give wildlife the space they need to survive. Corridors can be made up of single projects or networks of small-scale infrastructure, including wildlife crossings like the Tobin Land Bridge in San Antonio, conservation easements and wildlife refuges to provide areas of core habitat along which animals can move like the Neches River Corridor; and tunnels under highways like at the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge.

Jewell Lee Cozort shared images of underpass crossings

Research studies show that wildlife crossing structures and fencing designed to facilitate the passage of animals over or under our highways are highly effective, reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions by as much as 97%.

Wildlife corridors are finally, thankfully, getting the attention they desperately need. The Biden administration’s recent America the Beautiful report encourages national, state and local agencies to prioritize wildlife corridors when making plans to conserve more places.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure bill passed by the Senate includes $350 million in funding for a pilot grant program to reduce wildlife collisions and improve human safety on roads. This would fund overpasses, underpasses, and fencing on highways.

In addition, in the last Congress, the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act, or HR 2795 in the House and S 1499 in the Senate, would dedicate $50 million a year in grant funding for wildlife corridors, including other strategies like conservation easements, encouraging private landowners to remove fencing in strategic places, planting certain flora along migratory routes for birds and pollinators, and removing and/or re-constructing old infrastructure such as dams and spillways so that fish can safely swim upstream.

Wildlife Diversity

Texas is home to tens of thousands of native animal and plant species. These species form the fabric of over 800 habitat types, from bottomland hardwood forests, big tooth maple canyons, to black grama grasslands. Hundreds of these species occur only in Texas and nowhere else in the world. The Wildlife Diversity Program works to conserve this fabric for the benefit of current and future generations.

Texas Hill Country. Photo by Martina, Stock.Adobe.com

Conserving Texas Wildlife & Wild Places: Diverse Lands, Diverse Species, Diverse Cultures

12/2020

The largest state in the continental US and second only to California in terms of biodiversity, Texas has a rich variety of species, habitats and cultural communities that make it a special place. However, protecting the state’s wealth native animals and plants is uniquely challenging because 97% of the land in Texas is privately owned. Recognizing the ecological significance of the state’s wildlife and the importance of investing in rural and urban communities, Defenders works in high-priority areas to maximize benefits for wildlife, habitat, and people.
...

TEXAS HILL COUNTRY: DEEP IN THE HEART
The Texas Hill Country sits atop the Edwards Plateau, a geographic region at the crossroads of the high plains to the west and north and the lower-lying coastal plains to the south and east. Located in the heart of Texas, this region, which is known for its scenic hills, canyons, rugged terrain and vast network of rivers and creeks, is home to numerous imperiled species—and to rapid urbanization and oil and gas pipelines.

Defenders works in this dynamic area to conserve and restore habitats and watersheds for wildlife. We partner with landowners, community organizations and state and federal agencies. We also identify and apply conservation tools that can help attain our shared goals of preserving the region’s ecological integrity for future generations of Texans.

Species Spotlight: Golden-cheeked Warbler
One of the most rapidly growing urban corridors in the U.S. traverses the Texas Hill Country. It stretches over 100 miles between the San Antonio and Austin metropolitan areas and through old-growth juniper, oak and shrubland habitats. This is the only place in the world where the endangered golden-cheeked warbler breeds. Defenders and its allies are fighting to defend federal endangered species protection for this rare migratory bird that winters in southern Mexico and Central America. We are working with Defenders’ Center for Conservation Innovation to assess the loss of its breeding habitat and to protect what remains... .

Wildlife Conservation

Wildlife conservation is the wise use and management of natural resources, without wasting them or exploiting them. It regards wildlife as a renewable resource, which properly managed, replenishes themselves indefinitely. This is in contrast to wildlife preservation which is the saving of natural resources without any consumptive use of them.

North American Model - is a concept that evolved through the early decades of the 20th century. It has guided the conservation and management of fish and wildlife resources in North America. There are seven core principles:

Wildlife is held in public trust- in 1842 the Supreme Court ruled in Martin v. Waddell that wildlife resources are not owned by an individual, but rather are to be held in trust by government for the benefit of present and future generations. Set the foundation in U.S. common law for future laws governing wildlife.
Prohibition of market hunting and elimination of markets for game.
Allocation of wildlife by democratic rule of law- all citizens have the right of access by law and can participate in developing systems of wildlife conservation and use.
Wildlife should only be taken by legal and ethical means, for legitimate, non-frivolous use, in the spirit of “fair chase.” This includes uses for food and fur, or in the act of self-defense and property protection.

Wildlife is considered an international resource. Treaties between US, Canada and Mexico recognize the migratory nature of certain species. The Fur Seal Treaty of 1911 and Migratory Bird Protection Act of 1916 are early examples.
Science based management used for the development of wildlife conservation policy.
Democracy of hunting and angling opportunity- accessible to citizens of all social classes.

ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS FOR WILDLIFE
In order for wildlife to thrive, there are 4 basic components that they require and that the habitat must provide.

Food: All animals need food.
Water: All animals need water.
Cover: All animals need cover to travel, rest, breed, feed, and nest.
Space: All animals need adequate space in a suitable arrangement to provide access to sufficient food and water, enough territory for mating and nesting, cover or shelter from weather and predators and the reduction tensions that can aggravate stress-related illnesses.

The arrangement of food, water, cover and space should allow animals the ability to fulfill their basic needs.

HABITAT LOSS
As our population grows, more and more land is converted for human needs. More than half of America's wetlands that support waterfowl and wildlife have been drained and/or plowed. Currently, Texas has over 25 million residents (2010 Census) residents, with 82% living in urban areas. The population of Texas is predicted to reach 40 million residents by the year 2050.

The biggest threat to wildlife and habitat today is the break-up of large land holdings into smaller tracts. This division of ownership and associated change in land use is referred to as land fragmentation. As intact ranches become smaller “ranchettes”, wildlife populations are subject to many pressures including loss of open space from development, increased hunting pressure, proliferation of potential predators (dogs, cats and other carnivores), and introduction of exotic species, to name a few.

Causes of habitat loss.

CARRYING CAPACITY
The carrying capacity of an area determines the size of the population that can exist or will be tolerated there.

Biological carrying capacity is an equilibrium between the availability of habitat and the number of animals of a given species the habitat can support over time.
Cultural carrying capacity is the number and type of a given species that people will tolerate over time.
Carrying capacity is dynamic and can change from season to season and from year to year.
Regulated hunting, fishing, and trapping are important tools for preventing populations of certain species from exceeding the carrying capacity of their habitat.

Axis deer overpopulating a neighborhood.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
The Wildlife Division of Texas Parks and Wildlife advocates an ecological approach that blends social, physical, economic, and biological needs and values to assure productive and healthy ecosystems. No single species is targeted for enhancement but rather the habitat is managed to maintain ecological processes, functions, diversity, and productivity over time. This is achieved through Land Stewardship, caring for land and resources to pass on healthy ecosystems to future generations.

As Aldo Leopold wrote in his 1933 textbook titled Game Management, "The central thesis of game management is this: game can be restored by the creative use of the same tools which have heretofore destroyed it- ax, plow, cow, fire, and gun. Management is their purposeful and continuing alignment."

Axe
The axe is synonymous with methods and techniques used to manage woody vegetation. Overgrazed rangelands often lead to the invasion by woody species. Openings, clearings and areas once dominated by native grasses often become infested with juniper and mesquite which over time dominate the landscape. Brush management (the axe) is often necessary to maintain or improve the quality of rangelands for livestock grazing and habitat for wildlife.

Cow
Free-ranging bison, pronghorns, white-tailed deer and cattle were present in Texas until the mid to late 1800s. The appearance of barbed wire fences restricted movement of livestock and native wildlife. Large areas of grasslands that were once subjected to intensive short term grazing by bison and free ranging cattle were now being grazed year round. Highly preferred native grasses were grazed-out, only to be replaced by less palatable native and non-native species, brush, and noxious species. Today, cattle can be used as a tool to manipulate and enhance wildlife habitat and plant diversity (as bison did), through proper grazing rates and by a scheduled rotation of rest periods to allow pastures to be free of grazing by domestic livestock for a specified time of the year.

Plow
Tilling the soil is another approach to setting-back plant succession to promote the growth of desirable wildlife foods (forbs). Bison once

"tilled" the soil as they moved and grazed through areas, promoting more plant diversity. Today, soil cultivation by mechanical equipment can be used to set back plant succession (winter fallow disking (PDF 259.1 KB)), plow and plant native grasses and forbs back in fields or on rangelands (rangeland reseeding), planting annual or perennial vegetation as crops or as food plots for wildlife (farming), and mowing vegetation to reduce thatch or old growth of vegetation to stimulate new growth and greater plant diversity (mowing). Any plans for soil cultivation operations to improve habitat for wildlife must take into consideration the impact on existing native vegetation, potential for increased soil erosion, and soil type.

Fire
Fires, natural and man-made, played an integral role in the evolution of plant communities. Since the late 1800s, man has suppressed fire to protect fences, buildings, homes, and other land improvements. Suppression of fire and overgrazing by livestock of native grasses has resulted in an increase in oaks and the invasion by brush species such as mesquite and juniper. Burning can promote an increase of native perennial grasses and forbs and enhances habitat diversity for a wide variety of wildlife species. It will also help reduce the invasion of invasive woody species onto rangelands and grassland openings. Many plant species are tolerant of fire and others require fire to stimulate germination of seeds. Use of prescribed "cool season" fires during the winter months and prior to spring green-up is preferred to minimize the impact on wildlife species and critical nesting habitat for birds. For more information on prescribed burning, please see Prescribed Range Burning in Texas (PDF 362.1 KB).

Gun
Hunting (the gun) is an important tool available to landowners to help maintain a balance between deer numbers and the ability of the habitat to support healthy individuals and populations of deer. In areas where deer numbers are allowed to exceed the carrying capacity of the habitat, habitat degradation will result, thus impacting food and cover required by many other species of wildlife. Hunting is an effective tool available to landowners to help maintain white-tailed deer number at or below the carrying capacity of the habitat and to diminish the impact of growing numbers of feral hogs and other exotic animals. Hunting revenue is also an incentive for landowners to provide and manage good quality habitat for deer and other wildlife species.

WILDLIFE RESTOCKING
Sometimes biologists resort to restocking suitable habitat with certain species of wildlife to bolster or reestablish their populations. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has restocked deer, turkey, pronghorn antelope, and desert bighorn sheep.

Deer and turkey were almost exterminated from Texas by the late 19th century. Public concern brought about a series of protective measures by the Texas Legislature near the turn of the century. Bag limits and other laws were established. The first hunting licenses were sold in Texas in 1909. In 1919, six game wardens were hired to patrol the entire state.

Additional interest and protection by landowners, sportsmen and law enforcement personnel helped deer populations increase steadily during

the 1930s and 1940s. A statewide deer trapping and restocking program was initiated in 1938. Since that time, more than 30,000 deer have been released in 160 Texas counties.

TPWD has trapped over 30,000 Rio Grande turkey since the 1920’s and restocked them to suitable habitats throughout the state in an effort to restore the bird to its historic range. Additionally, TPWD has partnered with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and other state agencies to restore the eastern turkey to East Texas. These turkeys (7,200) were trapped in other states and released at 321 release sites in East Texas during the last 20 years.

Texas has seven herds of free-ranging desert bighorn sheep, the result of restocking efforts begun in 1954 and continuing to the present time.

TEXAS ECOREGIONS
Due to its size and geographic location, Texas is unique among states. Covering 266,807 sq. miles, it is second only to Alaska in land area. A large area of land will usually have a great deal of variation in climate and landscapes, factors influencing habitat diversity. The state has impressive topographic diversity, including 91 mountain peaks that are a mile or more high.

Our geographic location is a crossroads where eastern habitats meet western ones and southern subtropical habitats meet northern temperate ones. The annual rainfall can range from eight inches in the deserts of far west Texas to 56 inches per year in the swamps of east Texas.

Generally, Texas is divided into 10 natural regions or ecoregions: the Piney Woods, the Gulf Prairies and marshes, the Post Oak Savanah, the Blackland Prairies, the Cross Timbers, the South Texas Plains, the Edwards Plateau, the Rolling Plains, the High Plains, and the Trans-Pecos.

Texas Ecoregions.

Pineywoods: Mint Green
Rolling terrain covered with pines and oaks, and rich bottomlands with tall hardwoods, characterize the forests of the east Texas Pineywoods. This region is part of a much larger area of pine-hardwood forest that extends into Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. The average annual rainfall of 36 to 50 inches is fairly uniformly distributed throughout the year, and humidity and temperatures are typically high. The soils of the region are generally acidic and mostly pale to dark gray sands or sandy loams. Elevations range from 200 to 500 feet above sea level. The Pineywoods region can be described as pine and pine-hardwood forests with scattered areas of cropland, planted pastures, and native pastures. Timber and cattle production are important industries in the region. Farms and ranches are relatively small in size compared to the state average.
Watch a video on: the Pineywoods.

Gulf Prairies and Marshes: Light Brown
The Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes region is a nearly level, slowly drained plain less than 150 feet in elevation, dissected by streams and rivers flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. The region includes barrier islands along the coast, salt grass marshes surrounding bays and estuaries, remnant tallgrass prairies, oak parklands and oak mottes scattered along the coast, and tall woodlands in the river bottomlands. Average annual rainfall varies from 30 to 50 inches per year distributed fairly uniformly throughout the year. The growing season is usually more than 300 days, with high humidity and warm temperatures. Soils are acidic sands and sandy loams, with clays occurring primarily in the river bottoms. Native vegetation consists of tallgrass prairies and live oak woodlands. Brush species such as mesquite and acacias are more common now than in the past. Although much of the native habitat has been lost to agriculture and urbanization, the region still provides important habitat for migratory birds and spawning areas for fish and shrimp.
Watch a video on: the Gulf Prairies and Marshes.

Post Oak Savanah: Medium Brown
The Post Oak Savanah region is a transitional area for many plants and animals whose ranges extend northward into the Great Plains or eastward into the forests. This region, sometimes called the Cross-Timbers, was named by early settlers, who found belts of oak forest crossing strips of prairie grassland. Average annual rainfall averages 28 to 40 inches per year. May or June usually brings a peak in monthly rainfall. Upland soils are light colored, acidic sandy loam or sands. Bottomland soils may be light brown to dark gray and acidic with textures ranging from sandy loams to clays. The landscape of the region is gently rolling to hilly and elevations range from 300 to 800 feet above sea level. The region can be described as oak savannah, where patches of oak woodland are interspersed with grassland. Cattle ranching is the major agricultural industry in the Oak Woods and Prairies. Introduced grasses such as bermudagrass are grazed along with forage crops and native grasslands.

Blackland Prairie: Purple
The Blackland Prairies region is named for the deep, fertile black soils that characterize the area. Blackland Prairie soils once supported a tallgrass prairie dominated by tall-growing grasses such as big bluestem, little bluestem, indiangrass, and switchgrass. Because of the fertile soils, much of the original prairie has been plowed to produce food and forage crops. The average annual rainfall ranges from 28 to 40 inches. May is the peak rainfall month for the northern end of the region; however, the south-central part has a fairly uniform rainfall distribution throughout the year. Typically, soils are uniformly dark-colored alkaline clays, often referred to as "black gumbo," interspersed with some gray acidic sandy loams. The landscape is gently rolling to nearly level, and elevations range from 300 to 800 feet above sea level. Crop production and cattle ranching are the primary agricultural industries.
Watch a Video on: Blackland Prairie.

Crosstimbers: Dark Brown
Early travelers through north Texas coined the name "Cross Timbers" by their repeated crossings of these timbered areas that proved to be a barrier to their travel on the open prairies to the east and west. This area in north and central Texas includes areas with high density of trees and irregular plains and prairies. Soils are primarily sandy to loamy. Rainfall can be moderate, but somewhat erratic, therefore moisture is often limiting during part of the growing season. Also known as the Osage Plains, it is the southernmost of three tallgrass prairies. It varies from savannah and woodland to the east and south, into shorter mixed-grass prairie to the west. As in the rest of the Great Plains, fire, topography, and drought maintained prairie and established the location of woodlands.

South Texas Plains: Electric Green
The South Texas Brush Country is characterized by plains of thorny shrubs and trees and scattered patches of palms and subtropical woodlands in the Rio Grande Valley. The plains were once covered with open grasslands and a scattering of trees, and the valley woodlands were once more extensive. Today, the primary vegetation consists of thorny brush such as mesquite, acacia, and prickly pear mixed with areas of grassland. The average annual rainfall of 20 to 32 inches increases from west to east. Average monthly rainfall is lowest during winter, and highest during spring (May or June) and fall (September). Summer temperatures are high, with very high evaporation rates. Soils of the region are alkaline to slightly acidic clays and clay loams. The deeper soils support taller brush, such as mesquite and spiny hackberry, whereas short, dense brush characterizes the shallow caliche soils. Although many land changes have occurred in this region, the Brush Country remains rich in wildlife and a haven for many rare species of plants and animals. It is home for semi-tropical species that occur in Mexico, grassland species that range northward, and desert species commonly found in the Trans-Pecos. Livestock grazing and crop production are the principal agricultural land uses.

Edwards Plateau: Blue
The Edwards Plateau region comprises an area of central Texas commonly known as the Texas Hill Country. It is a land of many springs, stony hills, and steep canyons. The region is home to a whole host of rare plants and animals found nowhere else on earth. Average annual rainfall ranges from 15 to 34 inches. Rainfall is highest in May or June and September. Soils of the Edwards Plateau are usually shallow with a variety of surface textures. They are underlain by limestone. Elevations range from slightly less than 100 feet to over 3,000 feet above sea level. Several river systems dissect the surface, creating a rough and well-drained landscape. The limestone of the Edward's Plateau is honeycombed with thousands of caves. Beneath the eastern edge of the Plateau lies a hidden world of underground lakes known as the Edwards Aquifer. This precious water resource also is home to a number of curious creatures, such as the blind salamander. Today, the Edwards Plateau is characterized by grasslands, juniper/oak woodlands, and plateau live oak or mesquite savannah. Open grasslands and savannahs were more common in pre-settlement times than they are today. Ranching is the primary agricultural industry in the region.
Watch a video on: the Edwards Plateau.

Rolling Plains: Coral
Several Texas rivers begin in the gently rolling hills and broad flats of the Rolling Plains. These rivers and their numerous tributaries are responsible for the rolling character of the land. The rivers have cut canyons that shelter some plants and animals typical of the Rocky Mountains. Average annual rainfall is 20 to 28 inches, with peaks in May and September. A summer dry period with high temperatures and high evaporation rates is typical. Soils vary from coarse sands along outwash terraces adjacent to streams, to tight clays and shales. Soil reaction is neutral to slightly alkaline. Elevations vary from 800 to 3,000 feet above sea level. The original prairie grasslands included tall and mid-grasses such as bluestems and gramas. Buffalo grass and other shortgrasses have increased under heavy, uncontrolled grazing. Mesquite is a common invader on all soils. Much of the Rolling Plains today can be described as a mesquite-shortgrass savannah. Stream floodplains are dominated by various hardwood species, and juniper is common on steep slopes along rivers. Steep slopes, cliffs, and canyons occurring just below the edge of the High Plains Caprock comprise the Escarpment Breaks area of the Rolling Plains. The Breaks are an ecotone or transition zone between the High Plains grasslands and the mesquite savannah of the Rolling Plains. Crop and livestock production are the major agricultural industries in this region.
Watch a video on: the High Plains and Rolling Plains.

High Plains: Rust
The High Plains region, together with the Rolling Plains comprise the southern end of the Great Plains of the central United States. The High Plains is a relatively level high plateau, separated from the Rolling Plains by the Caprock Escarpment. Elevations range from 3,000 to 4,500 feet above sea level. Average annual rainfall is 15 to 22 inches. Rainfall is lowest in winter and mid-summer and highest in April or May and September or October.

Extended droughts have occurred here several times this century. Surface texture of soils ranges from clays on hardland sites in the north to sands in the southern portion of the region. Caliche generally underlies these surface soils at depths of two to five feet. Native vegetation of the High Plains is shortgrass prairie dominated by buffalo grass. Although historically a grassland, mesquite and yucca have invaded parts of the region. Shinnery oak and sand sage are common invaders on sandy lands, and juniper has spread from the breaks onto the plains in some areas. Immense herds of buffalo and pronghorn antelope once thundered across vast prairies of blue grama and buffalo grass. Today, the plains are mostly irrigated cropland and the native vegetation includes more mesquite and juniper. Although much of the shortgrass prairie and the vast prairie dog towns are gone, large flocks of wintering waterfowl still come to the playa lakes (shallow, round depressions which spot hold rainfall).
Watch a video on: the High Plains and Rolling Plains.

Trans-Pecos: Medium Rust
The Trans-Pecos is perhaps the most complex of all the regions. It occupies the extreme western part of the state eastward generally to the Pecos River. This is a region of diverse habitats and vegetation, varying from the desert valleys and plateaus to wooded mountain slopes. Elevations range from 2,500 feet to more than 8,749 feet at Guadalupe Peak. Even the mountain ranges vary greatly in the environments they offer for plant and animal life. Some are characterized by volcanic rocks, others by limestone. Over most of the area average annual rainfall is less than 12 inches, but varies greatly from year to year and from lower to higher elevations. July and August are usually the higher rainfall months. Mountain outwash materials have formed the soils of the Trans-Pecos. Surface textures and profile characteristics are varied. Soil reaction is generally alkaline.

Due to the diversity of soils and elevations, many vegetation types exist in the region. The principal plant communities are creosote-tarbush desert scrub, desert grassland, yucca and juniper savannahs, and mountain forests of pinon pine and oak. The various subregions reflect the diversity of the Trans-Pecos. The Sand Hills area consists of shin oak and mesquite on wind-blown dunes. Flat-topped mesas and plateaus are intersected by steep-walled canyons and dry washes that comprise the Stockton Plateau. Soils with high salt content and gypsum dunes are typical of the Salt Basin area. The Desert Scrub subregion is an area of low rainfall and rapid drainage. Creosotebush flats with yucca, lechuguilla, and various small-leafed plants are common. The Desert Grassland area occurs in the central part of the region and is characterized by deeper soils with high clay content. Finally, the Mountain Ranges have higher rainfall and woody vegetation such as junipers, oaks, pinon pine, ponderosa pine, and Douglas fir. Ranching is the primary industry in the Trans-Pecos region.

THREATENED, ENDANGERED, AND PROTECTED ANIMALS
Endangered and Threatened Nongame AnimalsIn Texas, animal or plant species of conservation concern may be listed as threatened or endangered under the authority of state law and/or under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Species may be listed as state threatened or endangered and not federally listed. The state list deals only with the status of the species within Texas. A federal listing means that an animal is in decline throughout its entire range which may encompass several other states or nations.

It is unlawful for any person to hunt threatened, endangered, or protected nongame species. To sell or purchase goods made from threatened or endangered species, proper documentation must accompany the goods. Visit Threatened and Endangered Species, and regulations relating to breeding threatened and endangered species, please call (800) 792-1112 (menu 5).

Endangered
These animals are some of the endangered species in Texas.

Threatened
These animals are some of the threatened species in Texas.

Black bears are threatened in Texas and cannot be hunted or killed. Please report black bear sightings or mortalities, and mountain lion sightings, harvests, or mortalities to (512)389-8047.

The Texas indigo snake, Drymarchon melanurus erebennus, is a subspecies of the Eastern indigo snake. It is listed as threatened in Texas and cannot be hunted or killed. It is found in southern Texas and Mexico. They are large snakes, adult males are over 7 feet long. The indigo snake eats a variety of small animals, including other snakes. It is immune to the venom of the rattlesnakes.

Protected Birds
Hawks, owls, eagles, and all other nongame birds and songbirds (except for the few unprotected birds listed below) are protected by various state and federal laws and may not be killed, taken from the nest, picked up, or possessed for any reason, and their feathers may not be possessed or sold. Arts and crafts may not include these protected species under any circumstances.

Most of the birds you will see when hunting will probably not be game birds. Studying them in the field is not only useful to your hunting knowledge, but also a very enjoyable pastime. Many hunters become avid birders.

Unprotected Birds
The only birds not protected by any state or federal law are European starlings, English sparrows, feral rock doves (common pigeon, Columba livia) and Eurasian collared-doves; these species may be killed at any time, their nests or eggs destroyed, and their feathers may be possessed. Yellow-headed, red-winged, rusty, or Brewer's blackbirds and all grackles, cowbirds (does not include cattle egret), crows, or magpies may be controlled without a federal or state depredation permit when found committing or about to commit depredations on ornamental or shade trees, agricultural crops, livestock, or wildlife, or when concentrated in numbers and in a manner that constitutes a health hazard or other nuisance.

Bats
Bats in Texas may not be hunted, killed, possessed, purchased or sold; however, bats may be moved, trapped, or killed if inside or on a building occupied by people. A person may transport a bat for the purpose of laboratory testing if there is a rabies concern.

Bats are very misunderstood animals. They are extremely beneficial creatures to humans. They help control pests by consuming tons of insects each night and are vital pollinators and seed-dispersers for a variety of plants. In the summer, Texas is the summer home to the migratory Brazilian free-tailed bats. Millions of these bats will inhabit caves and structures such as bridges. There is a famous colony at the Congress Avenue bridge in downtown Austin. The best time to see them is in August, when young free-tailed bats begin to fly with their parents on nightly feeding flights. Because most free-tailed females give birth to 1 pup each year, the population in some nursery roosts almost doubles. In the fall, most of these bats will migrate south for the winter.

Wildlife Fact Sheets

Amphibians typically are "cold-blooded" vertebrates which change from an aquatic, water-breathing, limbless larva (or tadpole) to a terrestrial or partially terrestrial, air-breathing, four-legged adult. This group includes: frogs and toads, salamanders and newts, and caecilians (limbless amphibians). Learn more about amphibians.
Birds are warm-blooded, air-breathing vertebrates. Their body is covered with feathers. Birds have beaks, wings and scale covered legs. All birds lay eggs that are covered with a calcium carbonate shell.
Fish are scaled, "cold-blooded" vertebrates found in water environments. They fall into three main groups: agnatha or jawless fish, chondrichthyes or cartilaginous fish and osteichthyes or bony fish. Most fish lay eggs, though a few species give birth to live young. This group includes: Agnatha - lampreys and hagfish, Chondrichthyes - sharks, skates and rays, and Osteichthyes - all other fish.
Invertebrates are "cold-blooded" animals with no backbone. They may live on land or in water, and may be covered by a shell or exoskeleton.
Mammals are warm-blooded air-breathing vertebrates. Their body is covered with hair. All mammals feed their young milk. Most mammals give birth to miniature versions of themselves. This group includes: Monotremes - duckbilled platypus, echidnas, Marsupials - opossums, kangaroos, and Placentals - most other mammals.
Plants are multicellular, nonmobile, photosynthesizing organisms adapted to live on land. They consist of leaves and/or stems that capture the sun's energy and an underground root system. This group includes: moss and liverworts, ferns, conifers, and flowering plants.For threatened and endangered plants, visit Federal and State Listed Plants of Texas.
Reptiles are "cold-blooded" air-breathing vertebrates. A tough leathery skin that has embedded scales covers their body. Most reptiles lay eggs, though some give birth to fully-formed young. This group includes crocodiles, alligators, turtles, snakes, lizards, and tuatara.