Passport to Texas

Monarch Migration Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

If you’re already in the habit of admiring migrating monarchs—which will start arriving soon—then consider taking part in a citizen science project called Texas Monarch Watch.

:11—People can get involved with that by reporting their sightings. And they can go to the Texas Parks and Wildlife department website. Go under Texas Nature Trackers—and there’s a whole page with lots of information about it.

Michael Warriner, an invertebrate biologist at Parks and Wildlife, says there’s also a national Monarch Watch program that’s hands on.

:22—They want people to basically tag monarchs. You can order a tagging kit. And as you see monarchs, you can capture them with a butterfly net, and take one of these little tags and place it on the wing—there’s instructions and everything. What they’re trying to do is track where the monarchs were tagged and then when they come back, to kind of get an idea of how long the migration was and how long these things live.

Monarchwatch.org has more information and tagging kits. Warriner advises when catching monarchs or any butterfly to grasp only the outer edge of the front wing.

:06—Because the wings are covered in scales, and if they lose those scales it would maybe become harder to fly and so on.

They need those scales to make that long migration.

Visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife website for more information about monarch and even butterfly gardens.

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

Chronic Wasting Disease Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Animal health officials and wildlife biologists are concerned about Chronic Wasting Disease–or CWD–a fatal neurological disease found in deer and elk.

07—Chronic wasting disease is part of a disease family known as TSE’s, which is belongs to a family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.

Doug Humphreys is a wildlife biologist and big game specialist. He says CWD is nothing new.

05—It was in Colorado in the late 60’s early 70’s when it was first detected.

Other states report CWD among populations of free-ranging deer and elk. Once contracted, it may take years before animals become symptomatic. Humphreys says CWD is transmitted from animal to animal.

08—That makes it unique compared to the other TSE’s that have usually come from contaminated feed or are just spontaneous diseases.

So far, white-tailed deer in the lone star state are clean.

04—Thus far we have not detected a positive case in Texas.

Learn more about chronic wasting disease on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

The Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program supports our series and works to increase fishing, hunting, shooting and boating opportunities in Texas.

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

Turbines and Bats Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Although a popular source of renewable energy, wind turbines are responsible for tens of thousands of bat deaths annually. Sometimes the animals fly into the structures or, because of the rapid pressure drop that occurs as air flows over the turbine blades, bats’ lungs become…let’s just say… damaged.

Ed Arnett, a conservation scientist at Bat Conservation International and coordinator of the Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative, says he expects an increase in bat fatalities.

7.0—I do believe the threats to threatened and endangered species will increase as we enter into the range of those creatures.

As bats hunt for insects during low-wind periods, turning off the turbines during these times may save the animals.

11—By reducing the amount of operating hours during those low wind periods we reduce the fatalities of bats at least half and up to as high as 87 percent of the fatalities can be reduced.

Other solutions under development include white noise emitted from the turbine to possibly keep the bats away altogether.

12—Bat Conservation International certainly supports the development of renewable energy resources. But we want to do that wisely. And we don’t want to develop at the expense of today’s resources for tomorrow’s hopes.

Ultimately, Arnett says, animals need to be taken into consideration as we develop renewable energy.

That’s our show… with support from the SFWR Program, funded by your purchase of hunting and fishing equipment and motor boat fuel.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The red-cockaded woodpecker is an endangered species found in the East Texas Piney Woods region.

Wildlife biologist, Ricky Maxey, says the red-cockaded woodpecker is unique because it’s the only woodpecker that makes its home in live pine trees.

08—It is a keystone representative of the upland pine savannah, so it’s a really fascinating specialized bird.

Because of demands for timber and an increasing urban landscape, there are fewer mature pine savannah forests. And it’s because the woodpeckers are so specialized that they can’t adapt to the changing habitat.

17—It does not adapt to loss of its habitat because it occupies a very specialized niche. That’s one of the primary reasons why this bird became rare to the point that it had to be listed under the endangered species act.

Maxey says, right now, the woodpeckers have a stable population thanks to forest conservation efforts by Texas Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. and Texas Forest Services among others. But even private landowners can do their part by creating suitable habitat for the woodpeckers.

10—If you’re a landowner, you can produce habitat for this species. We’ll be glad to work with any landowner to provide management recommendations to do just that.

That’s our show…we receive support from the SFWR program…funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motor boat fuel…

For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Odd Birds Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

According to a National Audubon Society report, sixty percent of all bird species in North America are moving farther north.

Cliff Shackelford is a Texas Parks and Wildlife non-game ornithologist, and says there are probably several reasons why birds are on the move. One reason: climate change. As temperatures rise, birds move north. Another reason: habitat alteration.

33—The interesting thing is that probably four or five decades ago there was another pulse or movement of birds that might not have been related to climate change. And what some people have suggested is a lot of these birds are extending their range because of fire suppression where grasslands were probably a good barrier to a lot of these woodland birds. And now that we don’t have fires to maintain grass, we have trees encroaching. Things like mesquite, huisache and retama are increasing, and a lot of those South Texas birds are moving in response to that.

Some birds… like the golden-cheeked warbler… are already endangered because of habitat alteration. And if something’s not done to restore the habitat, many more birds could find themselves without a suitable home.

09—They’re specialized they need a very specific habitat and when that is whittled away, they’re not able to adapt to other environments.

That’s our show…The Sport fish and Wildlife restoration program supports our series…and is funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motor boat fuel….

For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.