With no more “swimmable” water than thirsty West Texas has, it’s hard to imagine a fish, even a minnow-sized fish could remain “missing” for more than a century. But due to a mistaken identity, such is the case, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist. Dr. Kevin Conway, AgriLife Research wildlife and fisheries scientist, and…

The Crown of the Continent is a vast, unique region, with its 18 million acres stretching from Montana to across the Canadian border and holding one of the largest untouched landscapes in North America. It includes Glacier National Park, many different ecosystems and huge swaths of public lands. More than 100 organizations, government agencies and…

When spring migration begins, monarch butterflies emerge from their chrysalises by the millions, preparing for the 2,000-mile, multigenerational journey from Mexico to Canada. Migration is critical for the survival of the iconic North American butterfly, known for its bright orange and black markings, but habitat losses have led to a significant population decline in the past…

This spring more than ever, wild turkeys across the United States are facing an increasing threat from feral swine, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS). Feral swine, also known as wild pigs, feral hogs and wild boars, are not native to North America and are the descendants of…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has completed analysis of aerial surveys of the Aransas-Wood Buffalo whooping crane population, the only surviving wild population of whooping cranes in the world.   Preliminary survey data indicated 329 whooping cranes, including 38 juveniles, in the primary survey area (approximately 153,200 acres) centered on the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge near Austwell,…

The public comment period for the Draft 2017 State Water Plan for Texas is open. The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) will accept public comments on the draft plan until 5:00 pm, April 25. The board approved the draft plan at its March 3 meeting in Austin. The plan spells out approximately 5,500 strategies Texas communities have…

The Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) and the Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources (IRNR) are partnering with the Association of Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts (ATSWCD), Texas Wildlife Association, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) to highlight the importance of voluntary land stewardship…

Two Texas A&M University System-led projects were recently highlighted as part of the White House Water Summit held on March 22 — World Water Day. The university system’s Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus Initiative and the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project, a collaboration between Texas A&M’s Zachry Department of Civil Engineering and the Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI), were featured as part of…