Save our pollinators, save our world

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Published: Thursday, 29 July 2021 09:04

Written by Laura Muntean, TAMU

Pollinators serve a great purpose in the agriculture world. Without them, humans and animals would have little to no food at all.

Texas A&M AgriLife researcher Juliana Rangel, Ph.D., director of the Texas A&M Honey Bee Lab and associate professor of apiculture in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology, explains the incredible impact that such typically small animals and insects play in the role of our food supply.

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Gladys Porter Zoo Debuts Two New Babies

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Published: Tuesday, 27 July 2021 13:03

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.

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Begin to birdwatch class offered

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Published: Tuesday, 06 July 2021 21:59

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

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Published: Tuesday, 29 June 2021 09:06

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.

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New Monarch Butterfly Conservation license plate available for Texas drivers

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Published: Tuesday, 29 June 2021 09:02

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.”

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South Padre Island kicks off the summer season with fireworks displays

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Published: Tuesday, 29 June 2021 09:01

The City of South Padre Island is kicking off the summer season with beach and bayside fireworks displays running through Labor Day. South Padre Island, also known as “The Fireworks Capital of Texas,” an honor proclaimed by the Texas Senate, the Island’s recognition highlights the abundance of spectacular fireworks displays for visiting individuals, couples, and families to enjoy.

It is time to celebrate the season with beach and bayside fireworks on South Padre Island. On Tuesday evenings, fireworks are shot from a barge anchored a few hundred yards offshore in the bay. The best viewing spot for bayside shows is the Entertainment District, including many bayside restaurants and on “The Green,” a great lawn where people can bring their own chairs to view the display.

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