October 27th, 2011
This is Passport to Texas
Evolution bypassed the alligator gar. Compare today’s gar to the fossil record, and the differences are insignificant.
:07—They’re often perceived as this very primitive, horrible fish that is kind of scary looking. So people, for that reason, have some fear of them.
David Buckmeier, a fisheries scientist for parks and wildlife, says this coastal river-dwelling freshwater fish is actually quite docile despite appearances.
The alligator gar is the largest freshwater fish in Texas, and can grow up to ten feet long and have the potential of tipping the scales at over three hundred pounds.
:11—They have a head shaped much like that of an alligator, hence the name. They are quite primitive; they have heavy bony scales all across their body, which are called ganoid scales. And it’s actual bone plates that protect that fish.
A behavior that some find unnerving is the gar’s tendency to linger at the water’s surface.
:21—Their gills aren’t advanced enough to get enough oxygen, especially when the water temperatures are warm. So, that’s why people will frequently see them at the top of the water; they’ll come up, gulp air then and go back down. So maybe, it’s not that their gills aren’t advanced enough, maybe they are evolving and they’re going to be crawling on the land soon. (laughs) Unlikely. They’ve been around for a long, long time, and they’ve been the same way.
Alligator gar is abundant in Texas, and is a sought after sport fish. More on that tomorrow.
The Sport Fish and Wildlife restoration program supports our series…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
Posted in Fishing, Freshwater, Saltwater | Comments Off on Blast from the Past: Alligator Gar
October 26th, 2011
This is Passport to Texas
Redfin Bay is a popular destination for anglers.
In fact, this area is number one for guided fishing trips, and second highest along the Texas coast for private boat anglers. Visitors outnumber locals two to one.
Popularity comes with a price, says Faye Grubbs, a coastal fisheries biologist based in Corpus Christi. Seagrass provides essential food and habitat for marine life. Yet, submerged propellers severly trench the area uprooting the aquatic plants. There is a regulation to protects these plants.
And the basics of that regulation are, there’s no uprooting of Seagrass allowed inside this scientific area – that includes 32-thousand acres. Now, boaters are allowed throughout the area – no area’s shut down. Trolling motors and anchors are exempted from the regulations. So if you do uproot any seagrass by using one of those devices, you’re exempted from the law.
Trolling motors and anchors are exempt because any damage they might inflict is minimal.
[seagull call] Overall, what we’re trying to do is really get boaters to think about what they’re doing out in the water. The onus, the responsibility, is on the boater to know the area he’s fishing in, and also protect and preserve some of the habitat that supports the fish that he’s fishing for.
Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program supports our series. Through your purchases of hunting and fishing equipment and motorboat fuels, over 40 million dollars in conservation efforts are funded in Texas each year.
For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
Posted in Conservation | Comments Off on Conserving Sea Grass
October 25th, 2011
This is Passport to Texas
Halloween and state parks go together. Our State park Guide Bryan Frazier has details about a “Spooktacular” event at Sea Center Texas, and an event at Inks Lake SP featuring creatures of the night—and a star party.
This is a real novel idea; park staff dress up like animals that come out at night. And they’re going to talk about some of the things that these animals do. Then they’re going to do a night hike, there’s going to be a costume party. Then there’ll be a star gazing party that they’ll have there because of the open night sky in the Hill Country.
And this is a fantastic opportunity to get kids much more acclimated to what goes on after the sun goes down in our out of doors. And this is a way to take the Halloween theme and use that to educate that just because the sun goes down in a park doesn’t mean you can’t see the wonderful things that goes on outdoors after dark.
What kinds of spooky things happen at a place like Sea Center?
This is their fifth year; they’re having the annual Sea Center Spooktacular. It’s very kid oriented; they’ll have a costume contest, they’re having treats. They can tour and see the aquarium, and the hatchery—the real, functioning hatchery that we have at Sea center. So, it’s a great opportunity to get kids plugged in. It gives them a safe place to go and do something for the Halloween event.
Thanks, Bryan!
That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet, supporting outdoor recreation in Texas; because there’s life to be done.
For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.
Posted in Events, State Parks | Comments Off on More Halloween in State Parks
October 24th, 2011
This is Passport to Texas
Nature, outdoor recreation, and the caretakers of our natural resources all get air time on the new season of the Texas Parks and Wildlife television series, which premiers the week of October 23. Series Producer, Don Cash.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife television show has been on the air in one form or another since 1985. Our producers are always working on a number of stories at one time. They may produce a story in three months, and it may take them two years to produce a story. We are on all the PBS stations in the state of Texas, and we also air outside of the state.
What do you think the interest is in other states about the Texas outdoors?
I think people from other states just find Texas interesting. We’ve got a huge amount of different topography, wildlife, and people where in Texas. And one of the things I think people like about our show is our stories are about people that take care of the resources of the state of Texas.
And, Don, personally—what does it mean to you to be a part of this show?
Well, what I tell people is my job is to try and get people to go hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, or bird watching. You know, if you’ve got to work for a living, that’s a pretty good thing to do.
Thanks, Don.
Check your local listings.
The Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program supports our series.
For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
Posted in TPWD TV | Comments Off on TPW TV–A New Season
October 21st, 2011
This is Passport to Texas
Fall is a great time to visit a state park. In addition to festivals, our SP guide Bryan Frazier says visitors can also experience the darker side of the outdoors at State Parks this Halloween season.
And so we have some events at Estero Llano Grande SP. It’s their 6th annual spooky science fest. And they do crafts for the kids and interpretive programs with park rangers, and talk about some of the things that people are a little bit uncomfortable with maybe at night.
But really in a park environment—a lot of these animals are nocturnal. We’re able to show them some of these animals: some of the birds and the bats and the mammals and things. And really let’s children, in particular, be a lot more comfortable with what’s happening in the dark.
Because, life goes on in a park after dark. In fact, a lot of animals only come out at night. And so it’s a great chance to see and experience and talk about some of those things they may not get a chance to [otherwise]. But we’ve got a lot of events; there’s Halloween at the Hatchery, and that’s at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, and then the Halloween Fun and Games event at Lake Texana SP in Edna, Texas.
So check our calendar of events for Halloween and Fall festival events in State Parks.
Thanks, Bryan!
That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet, supporting outdoor recreation in Texas; because there’s life to be done.
For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.
Posted in Events, State Parks | Comments Off on Halloween in State Parks, 1
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