Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

Spring rains improved habitat in Texas. This is good, of course, except for the resulting population explosion of…

02—Worms. Stomach worms…

Moisture and high humidity create an ideal environment for the worm’s survival, which is bad news for white-tailed deer. Dr. Bob Dittmar, a veterinarian with Texas Parks and Wildlife, says initial testing indicates a high level of worm infestation within the deer population.

07— A lot of these deer were eating close to the ground, and were picking up these parasites which were out there in very high numbers this year.

There are several types of the parasite on the landscape; weight loss in deer is one potential sign of infestation.

14— The really bad ones are bloodsuckers. So, they debilitate the animal by sucking blood, making them become anemic, week, and eventually maybe predisposing them to other things. But they’re just debilitating, and that accounts for the weight loss we’re seeing.

Where are these deer showing up, and what to do if you see one. That’s tomorrow.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series, and through your purchases of hunting and fishing equipment, and motorboat fuels, funds more than 40 million dollars in conservation efforts in Texas annually.

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