Texas Nature Trackers, by Marsha May, Texas Nature Tracker Biologist

Have you ever wondered what kind of lizard is crawling up that tree in your backyard? Or what is that irritating noise coming from your neighborhood pond? Could that be a toad? Would you like to learn more about Texas wildlife living just outside your back door, and maybe even take it a step further and investigate what lives in a local park? Texas is a big state and the diversity of wildlife found here is mind boggling! There is a lifetime of investigation just outside your backdoor! Take that step and jump in! Become a Texas Nature Trackers volunteer and make a difference.

Texas Nature Trackers projects are designed to provide opportunities for you learn about Texas’ amazing wildlife as well as make valuable contributions to their conservation. This is a citizen-science monitoring effort designed to involve volunteers of all ages and interest levels in gathering scientific data on species of concern (plants and animals) in Texas. This effort is growing by leaps and bounds, finding new ways to collect important information and providing volunteers with opportunities to get involved in real science.  

There is even a mobile app that will help you collect important data right on your smart phone. Projects where participation is needed include: Herps of Texas, Hummingbirds of Texas, Mammals of Texas, Rare Plants of Texas, Texas Milkweeds and Monarchs, Texas Freshwater Mussels, Fishes of Texas, Texas Whooper Watch, Red-crowned Parrot Project, and Birds of Texas.  More will be added as the need arises.

You can now explore Texas Nature Tracker Target Species on the webpage listed below. Target species are plants and animals that TPWD biologists are most interested in gathering information. These species are listed by group (such as mammals or birds) and by ecoregion. Take a look at your ecoregion and see the species listed there. We could sure use your help. 

For more information, go to the Texas Nature Trackers webpage.

This eNewsletter is produced by TPWD's Conservation Education section.  If you enjoy this information, you should follow us on our Facebook page, Conservation Education at Texas Parks and Wildlife!  Our page's goal is to inspire appreciation and love of the outdoors, and create a willingness to protect and conserve it.  By LIKING the page, you'll receive timely updates on events and topics related to education on conservation topics.

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Everyone feels a little weird sometimes! And good for us! Being different is important. Ecosystems depend on a variety of species each playing different roles, or niches in that system. Wildlife species have all kinds of adaptations to fill those special roles, minimizing their competition for survival. Sometimes those adaptations are just weird, wacky and wild!

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