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American Red Cross Be One, Bring One

20220907 Be One Bring oneEvery day, the Red Cross sees the heartbreak of people coping with effects of natural disasters. Red Cross volunteers who are licensed healthcare and mental health providers show up to meet needs. The American Red Cross, Texas Gulf Coast Region, invites you to join their team as a part of the Be One, Bring One campaign as the need for compassionate volunteers has never been greater. You can use your professional skills as a licensed healthcare or licensed mental health provider and volunteer to deliver hands-on care or mental health support to those in need. Free online training is provided, and you can earn continuing education hours. Apply today to become a Disaster Health Services or Disaster Mental Health Professional volunteer so those in need don’t have to face tough times alone.

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Butterfly mural celebrates Monarch conservation

20220817 Protection of Monarchs WEBA new mural celebrating the habitat restoration and conservation initiatives implemented by the City of McAllen at Quinta Mazatlán to protect the iconic and at-risk monarch butterfly was unveiled earlier today by Mayor Javier Villalobos. The artwork, titled “Destino Monarco” after the National Wildlife Federation’s monarch conservation plan, was created by the renowned artist Irving Cano.

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Fall Hawk Watch begins Sept. 1

20220817 Hawk WATCHEveryone is invited to join park naturalists and volunteers as they spot and count thousands of migrating raptors during our annual Hawk Watch.

Fall Hawk Watch begins September 1st at Bentsen-RGV State Park and runs through the end of October. The public is welcome to join our hawk counters to learn more about birds of prey and to participate in this important citizen science program.

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Community invited to particpate in holiday event

Organizers for the McAllen Holiday Parade have invited the community to be a part of this year’s festivities in various ways, including, a special call for entries for the McAllen Holiday Shoebox Parade. Additionally, the parade is seeking volunteers and high school bands throughout the region to be a part of the magical tradition and, thanks to the partnership with McAllen I.S.D., MHP stadium tickets are on sale for McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium, from where the parade steps off and pre-parade festivities take place, on Saturday, December 3, 2022, starting at 6 p.m.

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Endangered species hatches at GPZ

20220817 VIPER BB2A9793Staff at the Gladys Porter Zoo are extremely proud to announce the historic hatching of six endangered Mangshan pit vipers. The Gladys Porter Zoo is now one of only three institutions in the United States to have successfully bred this rare species. There are only about 500 left in the wild which makes this hatching such a momentous event.

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New Children’s Book features Gladys Porter Zoo Giraffe

20210803 GPZ Rocket 9430 crop2Rocket, a beloved giraffe at the Gladys Porter Zoo, is now the main character of her own children’s book, Rocket the Space Giraffe. The book was written by Suzanne Shepard, Board President of the Valley Zoological Society, and illustrated by Tilia Rand-Bell, an award-winning illustrator. Since the Zoo’s public unveiling of the book on July 21st, Rocket the Space Giraffe has skyrocketed to the #1 spot in New Releases of Children’s Zoo Books on Amazon.

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Native pollinators as important as honeybees

20220719 TAMU BEE pexels michael hodgins 553251Written by Susan Himes, TAMU

A Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert wants people to better understand and appreciate our native bee pollinators.

“When people see a bee in their garden, many assume it is a honeybee when, odds are, it is actually a native bee,” said Molly Keck, AgriLife Extension integrated pest management specialist and entomologist, San Antonio.

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Join Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine’s Great Outdoor Scavenger Hunt for Fun Summer Adventure

20220719 TexasParks Scavenger#GOSH2022: Explore new Texas destinations and share selfies along the way

AUSTIN – Summer’s going by fast but there’s still time to jump in the car for an unforgettable road trip, near home or across the state.

The Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine’s Great Outdoor Scavenger Hunt (GOSH) returns for a third year of carefree fun across Texas. Travel to various locations on the magazine’s list, take a selfie and post it with the hashtag #GOSH2022. Discover history, wildlife, parks, waterways and quirky attractions — plus some classic eateries to visit and an iconic Texas soundtrack on Spotify and Apple Music as a “bonus” to enjoy along the way.

Read more: Join Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine’s Great Outdoor Scavenger Hunt for Fun Summer Adventure

Mothing by Moonlight at Quinta Mazatlan

20220719 Quinta Moth Salt Marsh Moth John BrushWhen the sun goes down, the moths come out at Quinta Mazatlan! Join us for this very special glimpse into the world of nocturnal insects on Saturday night, July 23rd, open from 9 pm to midnight.

A dimly lit trail will guide the guests through the Thorn Forest trails at Quinta Mazatlan to special Mothing Stations with knowledgeable naturalists. Guests should expect to see spiders, scorpions, frogs, toads, beetles and more.

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Texas State Parks share six tips for staying safe on the trails

20220719 TPWD StaySafeTrailsAUSTIN— As we enter the summer months, Texans are heading to Texas State Parks to enjoy time outdoors. Last year, 43 state parks reported 102 heat-related illnesses in humans and pets. Since January 1, 54 heat-related incidents have already been reported, compared to 34 reported by this time last year.

With temperatures soaring into the triple digits, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is sharing their suggestions for staying safe in the outdoors.

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Help keep pest insect populations in check

20220719 TAMU yellowgardenspider1Written by Adam Russell, TAMU

Garden spiders may look scary, but they are a friend of gardeners and help keep insect populations in check around the house.

Garden spiders go by many names – writing spiders, yellow garden spiders, banana spider and by their genus – Argiope, said Wizzie Brown, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologist, Austin.

Read more: Help keep pest insect populations in check

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