Passport to Texas

A healthy deer Morgans Point, Texas

Parasites and Skinny Deer Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

If spring rains made food plentiful for wildlife—and it did—then what’s up with all the skinny deer?

10—We had a lot of reports this year of thin deer, and some of our initial testing showed that a lot of these deer have a very high load of quote/unquote—stomach worms.

Dr. Bob Dittmar, a veterinarian with Texas Parks and Wildlife, said the wet, warm spring and humid summer created ideal conditions for a parasitic worm-a-palooza that’s affecting white-tails.

15—Most of the ones that have been reported to me have been in more suburban type settings. The habitat may not be really good because there are lots of deer there. And there are lots of eyes on those particular animals and they’re observed much more frequently and closely.

I asked Dr. Dittmar if suburban homeowners should be concerned for their family pets if skinny deer roam their neighborhoods.

18— These parasites are for the most part, pretty host specific. So, there’s not a great danger of passing anything from deer to dogs or other domestic pets. One of the things I always caution people: dogs like to eat deer poop. And there can be other things in deer poop besides parasites that could cause some illness in those pets.

Dr. Bob Dittmar says the agency wants to know about these deer, so if you see skinny deer, contact your regional office of Texas Parks and Wildlife or your local biologist. Find information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series.

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

Whitetail deer in snow.

Rain was Good and Bad for Deer Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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.

Women on the water at a BOW Workshop.

Before Summer's Truly Gone--Get Wet! Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Autumn is gaining on us…and no self-respecting Texan would allow an entire summer to go by without spending time in or on the water.

Fortunately, state parks provide opportunities for both.

Want to do a little canoeing, but don’t want to go it alone? This month you can join a ranger for a two-hour, three mile long guided canoe trip through the Martin Dies Jr.’s State park’s swampy marshes and the Neches River. Be on the lookout for wildlife such as bald eagles, belted kingfishers, herons, turtles and alligators. Find the schedule on the calendar at texasstateparks.org.

Make tracks – or is that waves – to any Texas inland or coastal paddling trail. These trails provide well-mapped accessible day trips in a variety of settings, for all levels of paddling experience. Find trail maps online.

Anglers experience a new perspective on the sport by casting a line from a kayak or canoe. It’s simple to do, and you can find tips on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

There’s still time to get neck-deep in cool water, as the hot days are quite over. No matter where you live in Texas, there’s a state park with a pool, lake, river, creek, or even ocean just waiting for you to dive in.

Find information about all the wet and wild opportunities in Texas on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

For Texas parks and wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Scorpion on leaf litter.

Benefits of Scorpions Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Texas boasts a fair number of scorpion species.

06— There are about 18 species in Texas. Depending on where you’re at – you may have more or less.

Ben Hutchins is an invertebrate biologist at Texas Parks and Wildlife.

10— In all of Texas, we don’t have scorpions that are considered life threatening. As with any animal that has venom, there’s always the possibility of an allergic reaction.

To healthy non-allergic people a scorpion sting may simply cause short-term discomfort. In nature, scorpions are highly beneficial.

23— Scorpions are predators, and so they feed on a variety of potential pest organisms. Some scorpions also feed on other scorpions, so they do have an important role in the environment potentially controlling pest populations…insects…spiders…other arachnids. There’s also potential medical utility for scorpions as well – using venom to treat medical conditions.

Therefore, if a scorpion inadvertently wanders into your home some evening while foraging…

12— There’s really no cause for alarm. What I usually do is use a cup [and place it over the scorpion and use a] piece of paper that you kind of slide under there to pick up the scorpion. And then you can just remove it and put it in an area where it can do its business.

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

Scorpion in Texas

Scorpions: Cool or Creepy Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I find scorpions in my house from time to time. With their crablike pincers and barbed tails, they’re scary little guys.

04— I think we have a natural reaction to anything with different body morphology.

Ben Hutchins is an invertebrate biologist at Texas Parks and Wildlife. He says scorpions dwell in a wide variety of habitats.

03— Pretty much any habitat except Alpine environments.

Although we have several species this arachnid in Texas, Hutchins says we’re not likely to run into them.

18— Usually, we don’t run into them that often because they’re mainly active at night; during the day they’re usually hiding under rocks, under logs – deep in leaf litter as well. So, we don’t run into them a lot, except when perhaps we’re in the yard gardening, or they might wander into our house at night.

Why do they come into our homes?

08— It’s not really intentional; during their foraging, they might see a crack under your door as just another crevice that they’ll be traveling through in search of prey.

Once they’re inside, they could make themselves comfy.

08— If you have a room with the lights off and lots of boxes – places to hide – that mirrors their natural environment with lots of secure hiding place for them.

How scorpions are beneficial in the environment. That’s tomorrow.

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