 Texas tortoise
Our only native tortoise is the Texas tortoise. They are illegal to possess and can live more than 50 years. So we let tortoise owners in Laredo know that if they gave us their pets, we'd help the tortoises learn to live in the wild again.
The people of Laredo loved the idea, and we took in 180 tortoises (video), the maximum allowed with our available resources. It was an emotional scene, with folks in tears and praying over their pets. The tortoises are expected to be freed this fall. Read about their journey in the Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine story The Great Tortoise Turn-in.
If you see a Texas tortoise in the wild, do not touch it — report it to the iNaturalist project Herps of Texas. To learn more, watch our video How to Recognize a Texas Tortoise.
 Gray fox
Our world-famous wildflowers are giving us eye-popping displays this year. Different flowers will rotate in and out through fall, supporting butterflies and other pollinators. See if you can I.D. any flowers in our video using this list of common wildflowers. They also create stunning settings for watching and photographing wildlife — like this gray fox.
Rehabilitation of wildlife requires technical knowledge and skills not easily learned without hands-on training and the aid of experienced mentors. Current rules for receiving a wildlife rehabilitation permit do not reflect those needs. We’re proposing changes to permit requirements that include practical training, mentor support and supervision tied to experience. This is critical before potential rehabbers are empowered to care for vulnerable wildlife. Other changes are also being considered.
We’ve considered revisions to original proposed permit changes based on feedback we’ve received from wildlife rehabilitators. For more information, see 2026 Proposed Changes to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Permits, which includes changes to the proposal since it was presented in March 2026.
We also invite input from the public via our comment portal through 5 p.m. May 27. The TPWD Commission plans to vote on wildlife rehabilitation permit changes on May 28.
 Texas Bird Bingo (TBB) is back! A little different from traditional bingo games, you have to see a bird to be able to mark it off your card. Print out any of the 14 cards, grab a pen, and you're ready to play. All you need is 5 birds in a row and BINGO!
Every person who completes a bingo is eligible for a free TBB sticker. Even better, two lucky entries will receive a half-day Hill Country birding excursion, courtesy of Busy Birding! Find out more about TBB in the Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine story Third Annual Bird Bingo Contest Begins.
Looking for a new spot to go wildife watching? TBB regions align with our Great Texas Wildlife Trails — free maps to areas good for wildlife viewing all over the state. Good luck!
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