 Texas is home to the only communities of ocelots in the U.S., and there are fewer than 100 of these endangered cats. But that may change. We have joined with 8 other partner organizations in a study on the possibility of establishing a new population of ocelots and reintroducing them into their historical range in South Texas.
The largest known population of ocelots in our state is found at El Sauz Ranch in South Texas. Find out more about their efforts to support these wild cats in the video Ranching With Ocelots.
 Alligator snapping turtles (AST) are protected in Texas, but not in all other states. Poachers will come here and steal our ASTs, then sell them elsewhere. See how one such wildlife trafficking ring was broken, and the happy ending for the turtles, in our video Operation SNAP: Saving Alligator Snapping Turtles.
We are offering rewards of up to $1,000 for anyone who reports poaching of ASTs through Operation Game Thief – 800-792-GAME (4263). Thanks to additional funds from our Conservation License Plate program, the reward can be doubled to $2,000 if the tip leads to conviction.
Common snapping turtles look a lot like ASTs. Learn how to tell the two species apart by using our video guide. Always keep a safe distance – both of these turtles have a very strong bite. Find out more about ASTs in the Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine story Prehistoric Ridgebacks.
|
