Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

The Chihuahuan desert ecosystem sprawls across Texas and Mexico, making the conservation of its flora and fauna a shared responsibility between the two nations. However, writer Melissa Gaskill says the conservation philosophies of the countries differ.

21—In this country, we form something like Big Bend National Park, and it’s just for the recreation and the wildlife, and people don’t live there. On the Mexican side, they have more of sort of what we would see as a conservation easement approach. Where an area is protected, but there are still homes and ranches and villages—life goes on—but they behave a little differently toward nature.

Gaskill wrote the article Nature Without Borders for the April issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine. Although the US and Mexico share conservation challenges, they also share the successes.

31—One of the successes is black bears. They disappeared on this side back in the 1950s, but given the remoteness of the country on the Mexican side, they remained there, and once they started protecting them actively in Mexico, and we started having all these protected lands on this side that provided good habitat, the bears on their own, crossed the river and repopulated in the Big Bend area. And, they’re doing pretty well; they have the potential to spread elsewhere within Texas where there’s good habitat.

Learn more about the flora and fauna of this area of Texas when you read Melissa Gaskill’s article Nature Without Borders in the April issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series.

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

This is Passport to Texas

With crablike pincers and barbed tails, scorpions strike fear into the hearts of many who see them.

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 of scorpions 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.

It’s that last part about wandering into the house at night that’s worrisome. 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.

Note to self: remove boxes from home office and turn on lights. Find an article about scorpions in the June issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine. For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

This is Passport to Texas

Since 1986, scientists have followed the spread of Lionfish from the south Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico.

04— So far their effect in the Gulf has been minimal; but that will change.

Melissa Gaskill is a science and travel writer living in Austin. She wrote an article about the potential problem of Lionfish for the December issue of TPW Magazine, on newsstands now.

11—They’re very voracious eaters, and they eat everything and anything. They eat all kinds of fish; they’ll eat anything that can fit in their mouth. And they’ll eat and eat and eat, and just grow and grow and grow. And nothing eats them.

We may have saltwater aquarium enthusiasts to “thank” for the current Lionfish situation.

07— Someone probably got fed up with their pet lionfish eating all of their other pet fish and just decided to dump them in the south Atlantic.

In addition to the species’ voracious appetite, it’s also a prolific breeder.

23— They spawn more often than most reef fish; they also spawn in pairs. And when they reproduce, their little fishies drift on currents; so it’s inevitable they’d end up in this part of the Gulf given prevailing currents. And scientists and divers have been able to watch this gradual and not so gradual spread. They were first seen out around the Flower Gardens, and now they’ve been seen closer to our coast.

Tomorrow: managing this invasive species with butter and lemon.

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

This is Passport to Texas

We’re hooked on fishing here at Texas Parks and Wildlife; and if you are, too, then the March issue of our magazine might reel you in. Editor, Louie Bond.

63— Well, you know, it’s spring, so we’re knee deep in water and we are fishing. We fished in February and had our special digital out there, which is still very relevant. People can go to our website and take a look at that and get lots of good fishing information. But in the March print issue, we’ll have some great fishing stories as well. We’re going to take a look at power plant lakes, which early in the spring when the water’s still cold, it’s a great place to fish, because they generate warm water – so there’s nice, warm steamy water – the fish love it and they’re biting like crazy. Then we’re going to talk about cat fishing as well. You know, we’ve spent a lot of time looking at how to grow bigger bass, and now TPW is looking at growing bigger catfish. Catfishing is an incredibly popular sport in Texas; very abundant. So, it can only get better from here. And our last feature is kind of wild and whacky. They describe it as a combination of fishing and hunting – plus a little ‘wow’ I think. It’s when you’re going out for alligator. Can you imagine hauling in an alligator into your boat? It’s a very exciting story. It’s lots of fun. So, lots of fishing and fund and adventure in our March issue.

Thanks, Louie

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

This is Passport to Texas supported by the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program

It’s a New Year, and with it comes new opportunities to go fishing. You’re in luck, too, because Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine’s February Digital Fishing Special is available online now. Editor Louie Bond.

63—Last year we tried out a brand new product: a digital fishing special. We had such great success with it that we went on to do a hunting one last fall. So, now as we come around again to February, where we don’t have a print edition, we’ve got another special treat for everyone out there, which is our spring fishing guide. And it’s both saltwater and freshwater this year, and it’s available to everyone – not just magazine subscribers. So, if you come to tpwmagazine.com you can read it there for free. And this year it will include a forecast by our own Steve Lightfoot on those saltwater and freshwater fish. He’s talked to all of our biologists who spend all their time figuring this stuff out. So, it’s really good info from our experts. Larry Hodge will take us out on the hot spot for winter fishing – power plant lakes. He’ll also take us fishing for crappie on Lake Conroe. John Jefferson is going to follow the white bass spawn upstream for some really hot fishing there – and there’s a stream-by-stream report with that. And Karl Wolfshohl is going to take us down to the coast for some surf fishing for trout. And on top of all that we’ll have some great recipes to cook up all those fish to enjoy all year long.

Thanks, Louie.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program Program supports our series and is funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motor boat fuels.

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