Otter Comeback | Hawk Watching Tips | Pollinator Bioblitz | Pocket Prairie Planting | and More!





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Our Wild Texas cream-colored masthead


Otters Expand Their Range
Two otters nuzzling, video link [ [link removed] ]

River otters are a "sentinel species" because they're very sensitive to pollution. By the 1970s poor water quality, unregulated hunting and habitat loss had reduced them to a small number in East Texas. Now they're being seen as far west as the Hill Country – watch otters frolicking in this video shot in Austin [ [link removed] ]. 

Look for otters on Texas Paddling Trails [ [link removed] ] and around natural waterbodies. Check this iNaturalist map to see where otters have been spotted [ [link removed] ]. If you see one, add it to the map to help us track their range. Remember, always keep a safe distance between yourself and wildlife!

Find out more about these cute critters in our video River Otters in Texas [ [link removed] ].




Hawks and Ospreys and Falcons, Oh My!



Red-tailed hawk pair in flight, video link [ [link removed] ]

Thousands of raptors, including hawks, ospreys and falcons, are currently migrating south into Texas. You may have seen hawks circling overhead in large groups called kettles. 

Visit a Texas hawk watch site [ [link removed] ] in fall or spring for your best chance to see big groups of raptors. Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park [ [link removed] ] has hawk watch events [ [link removed] ] [ [link removed] ] through Oct. 31.  



Hawk guide with click button [ [link removed] ]

Check out New to Hawkwatching? [ [link removed] ] for tips, and use the hawk guide [ [link removed] ] (PDF) for I.D. help.

Find out more about the Hawk Watch citizen science program in the "Texas Parks & Wildlife" magazine story Texas Trailblazers: The Hawk Watcher [ [link removed] ]. 

See what it's like to go hawk watching in our video Hawk Watcher [ [link removed] ]. 













Don't Miss This Weekend's Pollinator Bioblitz

Buckeye butterfly on mistflower, video link [ [link removed] ]

If you need an excuse to go outside and hang out with butterflies and other pollinators, join us in the annual Texas Pollinator Bioblitz [ [link removed] ] this weekend. It's fun and free!

Take part by snapping photos of pollinators and posting them on social media or iNaturalist [ [link removed] ] with #TxPollinators. There are other ways to participate [ [link removed] ] – sign up for emailed photo prompts or join events [ [link removed] ]. This year's Bioblitz ends on Sun., Oct. 26. We'll see you out there!



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25th anniversary of conservation license plate, link [ [link removed] ]
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Plant for Wildlife: Pocket Prairies

Turks cap with butterfly, video link [ [link removed] ]

You can create a "pocket prairie" to support pollinators and other wildlife with just a small space in your yard. Choose plants native to your region, they have the best chance of surviving Texas heat and drought.

The time to plant is now, fall to early winter. Try Audubon’s native plants database [ [link removed] ] to find bird-friendly plants for your specific area. Get tips for creating your own pocket prairie with wildflower seeds and perennials in our video Planting Pocket Prairies [ [link removed] ].  



Listen Now: Texas Wild – Deluxe Edition
Texas Wild album ad, with link [ [link removed] ]

Ready for a Texas-sized serenade? As an encore to the original "Texas Wild", Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF) has released "Texas Wild – Deluxe Edition [ [link removed] ]".

Including two bonus cuts, “Pretty Woman” by Ruthie Foster and The Texas Gentlemen, and “You’re Gonna Miss Me” by Zella Day, the vinyl package includes four interchangeable covers by Texas illustrator Mishka Westell, plus a 24-page companion book spotlighting the songs and inspiration behind the album.   

The digital album [ [link removed] ] also includes two more bonus tracks: "Irreplaceable" by Max Frost, and “All My Exes Live in Texas” by Jonathan Terrell. Order your copy today [ [link removed] ]! Proceeds benefit TPWF and its mission to keep Texas wild.

ORDER TEXAS WILD – DELUXE EDITION [ [link removed] ]



Toyota Rav4 ad with link 2025 [ [link removed] ]

"Messages from Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine advertisers:"

Visit the Mineola Nature Preserve, link [ [link removed] ]
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Visit Brownsville, with link [ [link removed] ]
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Visit Corpus Christi, link [ [link removed] ]

"Our Wild Texas" is made possible in part by the generous support of Toyota.

Toyota [ [link removed] ]

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