Wildlife

Racing Extinction is an eco-thriller that investigates humanity's role in mass extinction.

Over 10 years ago, Chris Jackson launched his website DFWUrbanWildlife.com, a blog dedicated to documenting the diversity of urban wildlife living in the DFW area. 

Info: Cathy Lustgarten, drgoodrad@gmail.com

If you have a curious mind and like to hunt for natural treasures, join the iNaturalist Explorers and help us learn about wildlife diversity in Parr Park. At each meeting, a guest expert will teach us about different plants and animals, and we’ll use the iNaturalist app to identify species and document our discoveries. Smart phones are helpful but not required.

Info: Hannah Nyquist at hnyquist@grapevinetexas.gov or 817-410-3399.

Celebrate National Moth Week (yes, it’s a real thing!) and help us find and identify as many moth species as possible! Texas Parks and Wildlife and Texas Master Naturalists are coming to Parr Park to set up special moth lights, sheets and baits and see how many moths we can find. Moths are important indicators of ecosystem health and their camouflaged wing patterns can be pretty amazing too. During the evening, we’ll also be on the lookout for other nocturnal friends, such as bats, owls, frogs, and opossums. 

Last year we received a matching contribution up to $10,000, which we were able to completely match. Our goal this year is to raise $40,000 to help cover the costs of raptor rehabilitation in Texas. At this fundraiser, we will have BBQ, craft beer from a local brewery, both silent and live auctions, and more. Visit our website, bpraptorcenter.org, to purchase tickets and for more details.

The Philippine Monkey Eating Eagle is a creature of both arresting beauty and staggering power. This jungle denizen is also one of the rarest raptors on the planet - just 700 individuals remain — its fate threatened by logging, hunting and other human activities. In 1977, cinematographer and raptor specialist Neil Rettig traveled to the Philippines to capture the first filmed images of the eagle in the wild, an effort that helped catapult the bird into a national symbol. Bird of Prey follows Rettig as he returns to the island nation 40 years later.

Learn to identify birds living in the area by listening to their vocalizations and looking at photographs. Feel free to bring your personal birding pictures for the class to practice identifying birds. $5 (with paid admission).

Speaker John Watts, Texas Discovery Garden entomologist, received a masters in entomology from the University of Florida where he specialized in insect husbandry. As a collector of insects, he took it upon himself to learn about plants and is an avid gardener both for food and wildlife, especially pollinators. His professional career started at the Cockrell Butterfly Center at the Houston Museum of Nature and Science. He spent 7 years at the Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Center in Westminster, Colorado before settling in Dallas.

Dale Clark, co-founder of the Dallas County Lepidopterist Society, shares his fascination with butterflies, beginning at Texas Discovery Gardens and ending with a caravan to his butterfly farm south of Dallas. This is your chance to explore on a behind-the-scenes tour! 

$30.

Learn all about native Texas snakes, tarantulas, and other animals with venomous fangs! Join us for ongoing talks, crafts, and animal encounters.