Winter Texan Times

Gladys Porter Zoo Debuts Two New Babies

Baby Camel 1 Gladys Porter Zoo staff are excited to introduce two new babies at the Zoo: a dromedary camel and a reticulated giraffe. Both babies made their debut on exhibit this week.

The healthy male giraffe was born to parents Priscilla and CJ on June 14, 2021. Now one month old, he joins another calf in the giraffe yard that was born just a few months ago.

Reticulated giraffes, like the ones at the Zoo, are listed as Endangered with an estimate of less than 10,000 remaining in the wild. Their numbers have decreased by 50% in the last three decades.

Heroes Walk the Superhero Trail at Quinta Mazatlán

Rio Grande Regional Hospital 2 7 19 21 Everyone loves a Superhero with a great story, especially real-life Superheroes of today. Rio Grande Regional Hospital is proud to sponsor the outdoor Superhero Trail at Quinta Mazatlán in July and August.

Cris Rivera, Chief Executive Officer of Rio Grande Regional Hospital states, “We are proud to sponsor the outdoor Superhero Trail at Quinta Mazatlán. Our health system and many other first responders tapped their ultimate superhero strength during the pandemic. We have true superhero stories of people changing the world for the better!”

Sunday Speaker Series Online presentation on mitigation, preparedness, disaster response

barry goldsmith headshot The Museum of South Texas History will host the Sunday Speaker Series Online presentation, “Mitigation, Preparedness and Disaster Response,” featuring Suzanne A. Pierce, Barry Goldsmith and Raul E. Sesin at 2 p.m. on Aug. 1 on Facebook Live.

Using historical context established in the previous two Sunday Speaker Series Online presentations on Hurricane Beulah and the effects of flooding in the Rio Grande Valley, scientists will discuss ways local communities can mitigate against natural disasters. The panel will also reflect on approaches to developing regional action plans. This is the final presentation in a three-part collaborative series between MOSTHistory and Planet Texas, a University of Texas research center dedicated to the rigorous study of climate change.

Texas Sales Tax Holiday is Aug. 6-8

Although you might not need school supplies for your family, this is a great time to start collecting items for any charities or schools you help out during the winter season. I fyou aren't in Texas, check with your state to see when their Sales Tax Holiday i happening.

(AUSTIN) — Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is reminding shoppers they can save money on clothes and school supplies during the state’s sales tax holiday on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 6-8.

State law exempts sales tax on qualified items — such as clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks — priced below $100, saving shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend. The date of the sales tax holiday and list of tax-exempt items are set by the Texas Legislature.

Begin to birdwatch class offered

thumbnail Begin to Birdwatch ps July 2021 Learn about the world of birds and birdwatching, full of colorful birds with interesting lives. After a fun-filled introduction to the diversity of birds, we will focus on the tips and tricks to identifying birds. The Rio Grande Valley is one of the best regions in the country for birdwatching - all we need is to look outside!

Join John Brush, urban ecologist from Quinta Mazatlan, for a presentation on how to begin birdwatching! The class will be available on Saturday, July 31 from 2-3 p.m. at the McAllen Public Library (Main Library, meeting room A, 4001 N. 23rd St.)

Register here: https://mcallenlibrary.libnet.info/event/5268889 . For more information, contact Grace or Nicole at (956) 681-3060.

Join Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine’s Great Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

AUSTIN – The Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine’s Great Outdoor Scavenger Hunt (GOSH) returns for another year of summer fun across Texas. Travel to various locations regionally or statewide, take a selfie and post it with the hashtag #GOSH2021. Discover history, wildlife, parks, waterways and quirky attractions — plus iconic Texas food stops as a “bonus” to enjoy along the way. The GOSH 2021 challenge ends at midnight on Labor Day, Sept. 6.

Select from six regions, including Dallas, Central Texas, Houston, Panhandle, South Texas and West Texas. Register on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine website or the TPWD Facebook Page, then find the spot, take a smiling selfie and tag it on Twitter or Instagram. Participants can also post and tag it on the TPWD Facebook Page with #GOSH2021. Partakers can visit locations regionally or statewide and complete one or all GOSH activities.

New Monarch Butterfly Conservation license plate available for Texas drivers

AUSTIN — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will be launching the long-awaited Monarch Butterfly conservation license plate on June 21 that will raise money to help conserve monarch butterflies and other native Texas, non-game, at-risk species.

“The monarch butterfly is a species that is beautiful and iconic in that it is one of nature’s great migration stories,” said John Davis, TPWD’s Wildlife Diversity Program Director. “This species migrates through Texas from Mexico in the spring making its way to the northern extremes of the U.S. and into Canada, then reverses that feat in the fall to overwinter in Mexico. This great migratory story is in jeopardy with the overwintering population experiencing steep declines in the last decade. By adding the monarch to our family of plates, we hope to increase support for this beautiful migration event and through our conservation efforts, brighten the future for this, and many other species.”