Passport to Texas

Herpetologist, Andy Gluesenkamp (with phone) and biologist Cullen Hanks monitoring species.

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Texas wildlife has a stake in the climate change lottery.

06—Climate change is going to affect species that are found – and breed – in backyards here in Texas.

Cullen Hanks, with Texas Nature Tracker, says models predicting the impact of climate change on wildlife are not set in stone, and so we need baseline information on each species.

33—To be able to document change, we need to know where things are before they change. And, this highlights the need of documenting the distribution of species that we have today in Texas.

And, there aren’t enough biologists to do all of that. And so, what we do is we reach out to citizens.

That’s exactly right! Texas is a big state with a lot of species, and the community of naturalists and citizens interested in wildlife in Texas can play a huge part in documenting wildlife in Texas.

Monitor species you see in your neighborhood, and then share your observations online.

17—ebird, a citizen science platform, created by the Cornell laboratory of Ornithology is a great way to maintain your checklist of birds. In addition, iNaturalist is a really useful platform for documenting your wildlife sightings of any species — not just birds.

Texas Parks and Wildlife has various projects on iNaturalist. Just go to the Texas Nature Trackers page on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website for details. The WSFR Program supports our series.

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

Roseate Spoonbill

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When most of us hear the term “climate change” we envision massive glaciers tumbling into the sea, and a lone polar bear floating on an errant chunk of ice.

11—Climate change is not going to just impact species found around the arctic circle. It’s also going to affect species that are found – and breed – in backyards here in Texas.

Cullen Hanks works in Wildlife Diversity at Texas parks and Wildlife, and is a board member of Travis Audubon. The National Audubon Society released a comprehensive study last month that predicts how climate change could affect the ranges of 588 North American bird species.

17—There is quite a bit of uncertainty about how things are going to play out. But there’s not a question about whether there is change. I’m not a climatologist, but considering the fact we know that change is occurring, it is important to pay attention to how this is going to impact wildlife.

Due to warmer conditions, some birds may shift their range farther north.

15—Birds have the benefit of flight, so that they are more capable of colonizing new areas. However, changes to habitat will affect all wildlife. So, for example, reptiles and amphibians will also be impacted by changes to habitat that are affected by climate.

How you can help scientists understand the impact of climate change on all species. That’s tomorrow. The WSFR Program supports our series.

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

Dancing with a Ghost, artwork by Clemente Guzman.

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If you grew up in South Texas, you probably heard stories from the book:

02— Stories That Must Not Die.

Stephanie Salinas grew up in Laredo reading these tales by Juan Sauvageau. They capture the soul and spirit of the region. The author’s storytelling pulls readers in and keeps them on the edge of their seats, says Salinas – such as the tale of Manuel and Maria in Dancing with a Ghost.

44—A man was driving along to go to a dance, and he found a woman on the side of the road. She wanted to go dance, so he took her with him. And, she was the best dancer, and everyone was completely in awe. At the end of the night he dropped her off in the same place; she was cold so he lent her his jacket. The next morning he drove to where he dropped her off. He saw a small house in the distance, so he drove up and asked is Maria was home. The woman who answered the door started bursting into tears. She said Maria had passed away ten years ago. He said that’s impossible; I danced with her last night. He said she was wearing a pink dress. And she said, oh, she was a great dancer and we buried her in a pink dress. And the mother took him to the grave where Maria was buried, and on top of the grave was his jacket.

Stephanie Salinas has an article about Stories That Must Not Die by Juan Sauvageau in the October issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine.

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

Communal spider web at Lake Tawakoni State Park 2007.

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Scare up some outdoor fun this Halloween at state parks. Three spooky events take place Saturday October 25:

Gonna be in East Texas? Then, enjoy a goose-bump inducing guided stroll through the deep, dark forest of Martin Dies, Jr. State Park; but take heart – games and activities await you at journey’s end.

Tremble as you hear stories of curses, spirits and things that go bump in the night at Lake Whitney State Park, just 40 minutes north of Waco. But it all kicks off with Halloween jokes for the kiddos, such as: What do birds in state parks sing on Halloween? They sing Trick or Tweet. I didn’t say they were good jokes.

Enjoy an evening of creepy fun at Lake Tawakoni State Park, about an hour east of Dallas. In 2007, it gained international fame for a gigantic communal spider web on park grounds. There will be trick or treating, a pumpkin carving contest, campsite decorating and more.

On October 30, the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens celebrates Halloween at the Hatchery. Local businesses and organizations will hand out free candy, and the center’s Halloween themed decorations will dress up the place.

Cave tours are a scream, and on Halloween night, Kickapoo Cavern State Park – a half hour from Del Rio – plans a two hour haunted cave tour. Keep an eye out for bats.

Find all details about Halloween at texasstateparks.org.

That’s our show for today. .. Funding provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram

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

Desert Bighorn Sheep translocation project.

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Before Bob Dittmar joined Texas Parks and Wildlife this year as its first-ever staff veterinarian, he was in private practice in Kerrville. In his new position, he’s learning to shift focus from domestic animals and livestock to wildlife.

09—The challenge is that it’s a different situation than private practice. There’s going to be a learning curve for me just to fit into Parks and Wildlife.

He’s no stranger to the agency, though, having assisted with projects including the translocation of desert bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope. He expects his work will be as varied as the state, itself, and include the collection and analysis of data, as well as hands on work with wildlife.

22—I’ll be working more hands on, and we’ll be looking into whatever situation might occur [among the state’s wildlife], and I’ll continue to work with the capture and translocation projects with the Bighorn Sheep and Pronghorn antelope. And there may be other things that we do as well. As time goes on we may look into more and more research projects in the wild that would involve more hands on work with other species.

Learn more about Texas wildlife and how it’s managed, when you log onto the Texas parks and Wildlife website.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series and funds its work through your purchase of hunting and fishing equipment and motorboat fuel.

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