Watch a Sea Turtle Release | Build a Bat House | Dragonfly Video | Monarch Update | Where to See Bats Fly | Tree for Drought | and More!





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Where to Watch Baby Sea Turtle Releases
people watching baby sea turtles run to the Gulf, video link [ [link removed] ]

This summer, make plans to witness one of Texas' most unique wildlife experiences?? sea turtle hatchlings making their first run to the sea.?

The world's most endangered sea turtle is the Kemp's ridley, and they lay eggs on Texas beaches. Turtle watchers gather the eggs for their protection. As soon as they hatch, the tiny turtles are brought to the beach and released.

You can see hatchling releases from now through early August at?Padre Island National Seashore [ [link removed] ]?? call the Hatchling Hotline at 361-949-7163; and at?Sea Turtle Inc [ [link removed] ]?? they announce releases on social media, including?Facebook [ [link removed] ].

Find out how tequila played a role in the decline of sea turtles in our video Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle ? Saving a Species [ [link removed] ].

Check Out the Big Bat Shows This Summer
Bats stream out at sunset from Anne W. Richards-Congress Ave. Bridge in Austin, video link [ [link removed] ]

Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge, Austin

Nature's biggest summer shows are when bat colonies emerge at twilight to feed on insects.?Bat-watching sites [ [link removed] ]?have anywhere from hundreds to millions of bats. Some sites are free, some charge an entry fee. These two state parks have big bat shows:


* Old Tunnel State Park [ [link removed] ] ? Fredericksburg
* Clarity Tunnel [ [link removed] ] in Caprock Canyons State Park ? Panhandle

Before you go hang with the bats, watch our short video 10 Bat-Viewing Tips [ [link removed] ].?




*Build a Bat House + More **Bat-Friendly Tips*



bats hanging looking at camera, video link [ [link removed] ]

There are 32 different bat species living in Texas. See photos of them all on the bat map [ [link removed] ] (PDF) that shows which bats live in your part of the state.

If you have an unwanted bat roost, watch our video Bats in the building? Here's how to exclude them safely [ [link removed] ].?

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bat house with link to building instructions [ [link removed] ]

4 ways you can be bat-friendly:

1. Buy or?build a bat house [ [link removed] ]. You may want to add a pup catcher [ [link removed] ].?

2. Leave dead trees up for bat roosts.

3. Don't use pesticide, bats eat insects.?

4. Keep your cat indoors.

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*Wild Webinars + Bird City News*



Big Bend National Park at sunrise [ [link removed] ]

Check out our free?Wildlife Diversity webinar series [ [link removed] ] that focuses on topics benefiting wild things and wild places.

The next topic is Respect Big Bend [ [link removed] ] on 7/22. Join us!?Sign up [ [link removed] ]?to receive emails on upcoming webinar topics.

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Bird City Texas graphic with link [ [link removed] ]

Applications [ [link removed] ]?are being accepted for the Bird City Texas [ [link removed] ]?program, which certifies communities as leaders in bird-friendly conservation.

Find out more in the magazine story Where Birds Thrive, People Prosper [ [link removed] ].





Chill-Out Video: Dragonfly or Damselfly?

Damselfly, video link [ [link removed] ]

Watch our short video?Postcard From Texas: Dragonflies and Damselflies [ [link removed] ], and see if you can tell the two apart. Hint: dragonflies rest with their wings open, damselflies with their wings closed.
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Roadrunner license plate - coming soon, with link [ [link removed] ]
*Tree for Wildlife: the Desert Willow*
sphinx moth feeding on desert willow, link [ [link removed] ]

If you'd enjoy a small tree in your landscape that's drought, heat and freeze resistant, as well as a wildlife favorite, consider the desert willow [ [link removed] ].

This low-maintenance tree has fragrant flowers that bloom all summer, attracting butterflies, hummingbirds and other wildlife. Flower color ranges from pale pink to deep purple. It's native to Central and West Texas, and an excellent choice for areas that don't get a lot of rain; otherwise it needs a well-drained bed.?Pro tip: Desert willow blooms on new wood, so prune it regularly for more flowers.

"A message from our non-profit partner, Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation:"

Black Bears Are Returning to West Texas

Black bear and her cub

For those who appreciate the wild things and wild places of Texas, black bears returning to their native range in West Texas is thrilling news. But their ongoing survival depends on how well humans and bears can co-exist.

The Borderlands Research Institute (BRI) at Sul Ross State University is partnering with Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF) to raise funds [ [link removed] ] for BRI?s Human-Black Bear Coexistence project. Outreach and research are critical to help black bears thrive.

TPWF has also partnered with?H-E-B, whose?Field & Future by H-E-B? [ [link removed] ]??product?line provides funding to support this and other conservation projects.



Good News for Monarch Butterflies
Hundreds of monarch butterflies clustering in Mexico wintering ground, link [ [link removed] ]

The monarch population was counted while the butterflies overwintered in Mexico, and their numbers are up [ [link removed] ] from last year.?

There were 10 colonies located during this past winter. They occupied an area of about 2.84 hectares, or 7 acres. This is 35% larger than the area they occupied last winter. Good news, but still a dangerously low number of monarchs.

Biologists estimate the monarch population needs to cover at least 6 hectares, or 15 acres, for a stable population. You can help support monarchs by continuing to avoid pesticide use and grow milkweed, mistflower and other native, pollinator-friendly plants [ [link removed] ] that flower in spring and fall.?

Toyota ad with link [ [link removed] ]

"Messages from Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine advertisers:"

Baytown Birding Challenge, with link [ [link removed] ]________________________________________________________________________

Visit Moody Gardens, with link [ [link removed] ]

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

Toyota [ [link removed] ]




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