Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

Armed with cameras, state park goers delight in taking aim at wildlife. Our state park guide, Bryan Frazier, says the proliferation of digital cameras makes it easier than ever for visitors to document their encounters with the natural world, and he offers suggestions for getting the most from the experience.

State parks are fantastic places to experiment with wildlife and outdoor photography. It’s a very popular hobby across the country. State parks offer great places because you can sere so much wildlife, and there’s access, and you can set up at [interesting] places. And so, we want to encourage people to take their cameras with them, and when they do: remember the equipment. It does make a difference. You want to pack light—maybe you have to hike in somewhere—you may have to limit that to one lens. And if you do, take a lens that F-stops down all the way, so that it opens up wide so you’re able to shoot fast, because wildlife tend to move. And, it’s flexible, it has a nice range; that’s the only you want to take with you when you’re packing light on those big hikes in parks.

Thanks Bryan.

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet…building dependable, reliable trucks for more than 90 years. For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

If you’re fit, flexible and like crawling around on your hands and knees – make reservations to go on the Wild Cave Tour at Longhorn Cavern State Park.

09—This is billed as an adventure tour. And, it’s about one and half to two hours in length. And it’s a crawling tour, or what people refer to as a flashlight tour.

Kaye Barlow, a tour guide at the site, says this tour is physically demanding.

09—That means it is not recommended for anyone who is physically out of shape, or who is very large. We’ve had people of size that have gone through with no problem, but they’re in good shape.

If you’re strong, flexible and able to crawl extended distances without pain, discomfort, or frequent stopping, you may enjoy this tour. The cavern is nine miles southwest of Burnet in the Hill Country; and wild cave participants access parts of the cavern that are not seen on any other tour.

19—There are small passageways; and getting dirty is definitely part of this tour. It’s not recommended for every guest. Equipment is required, like hard hats, elbow and knee pads, and flashlight. You can bring your own or rent for us. Generally it’s on Saturdays, but we also take reservations at other times during the week, providing you have six people that want to go. And then, we can get a tour guide.

The cost of the tour is $40; $60, plus tax, if you rent equipment from the park. Find registration information at texasstateparks.org.

That’s our show for today… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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You’ll find more than a dozen species of horned lizards in North America.

Texas actually has three species of horned lizards.

And the one known as the Texas horned lizard – or horny toad — is disappearing from its historic range.

The Texas horned lizard has really utilized a variety of habitats, because it was once found across most of the state, with the exception of, maybe, far east/southeast Texas.

Lee Ann Linam coordinates the Texas Horned Lizard Watch, and is president for the Horned Lizard Conservation Society. A survey project is underway through the Society, which encourages volunteers to survey rural cemeteries for the spiky lizard.

A lot of these rural cemeteries actually retain a lot of native habitat. And just recently one of our members of the Horned Lizard Conservation Society came up with an idea, based upon some of his experiences, that these lightly maintained, semi-native habitats might be good habitat for horned lizards.

The information gathered will help researchers understand the animal’s needs, and factors surrounding its decline. There’s more information at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show… we receive support from the Wildlife Restoration Program… working to increase conservation efforts in Texas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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Horned Lizard Watch Brochure
Horned Lizard Watch Monitoring Packet

Searching for Horny Toads in Cemeteries Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Texas’ beloved horny toad is the subject of an ongoing citizen science project called Texas Horned Lizard Watch, where volunteers collect data about this vanishing Texas icon.

It’s been going on for ten years now. So we’ve gotten some wonderful information from people – all across the state – about how horned lizards are doing.

Lee Ann Linam coordinates the program. Among other uses, the data helps biologists like Linam establish predictors of horned lizard decline.

Our horned lizard watch data, that our volunteers put together, show that in fact, that the presence of fire ants is kind of the strongest predictor as to whether or not you’ll find horned lizards at a site. And, of course, it’s generally not a good relationship.

Red harvester ants are horned lizard’s food of choice — but good luck finding them when fire ants are around.

Fire ants often drive out native ant species; they feed on small vertebrates, especially animals that lay their eggs in the ground.

There’s a new opportunity for people wanting to participate in Texas Horned Lizard Watch.

If they’re interested in the survey project in cemeteries they can get in touch with us.

Spooky…we’ll have details on surveying horned lizards in cemeteries tomorrow. That’s our show… we receive support from the Wildlife Restoration Program… working to increase conservation efforts in Texas. For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

Non-game and game animals—and their habitat needs—get their due this month on the Texas Parks and Wildlife PBS TV series. Series producer, Don Cash has details.

One theme that runs throughout all of our topics is conservation of the resources, and people getting out and enjoying those resources. Take a couple of stories on horned lizards—an icon of Texas, everybody loves them. And, they’ve been disappearing, partly because, we have been losing the land where they live.

So, as always, a lot of different things in October, and catch it on your local PBS station.

Thanks Don.

That’s our show… we receive support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motorboat fuel.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

TPW TV: October Highlights Play Now | Play in Popup | Download