Animals

On this warm winter day, it’s busy at the bird feeders outside my office window with the usual backyard crew.

In a birding career that has spanned more than half of his life, Ty Allen of Burleson has observed and logged 284 avian species in Johnson County, 371 throughout Texas and 383 in the United States. It’s a count that is continually being revised upward.

Not bad for someone who just turned 19.

Jason shares a secret for making all-natural, organic, homegrown dog treats. Note: Consult your vet before offering human foods to dogs. Here's a Humane Society list of foods harmful to dogs.

Providence Village in Denton County was honored with PETA's “Compassionate Town Award” for innovative measures to protect ducklings from storm drains, using recycled sediment control guards to prevent them from falling in. This solution emerged during the pandemic and is credited with resolving the issue.

The eco-friendly North Animal Campus in Fort Worth, designed for animal welfare and environmental sustainability, offers nearly 50,000 square feet of space on 7.5 acres. It includes native landscaping, LEED standards, and multiple animal-friendly facilities, enhancing convenience for local residents and promoting pet adoption and fostering.

Frog calls enliven North Texas nights, with male Blanchard’s cricket frogs and Southern leopard frogs engaging in courtship sounds. Amidst their decline due to threats like chytrid fungus, conservation is essential. Residents can help by maintaining habitats and creating frog-friendly environments, enhancing natural insect control and enjoying amphibian songs.

In an episode in The Lonesome Dove, a fellow falls into a river and is immediately attacked by a swarm of snakes. Many people tell a similar story, of some poor soul who falls into a “nest” of cottonmouths and dies from hundreds of venomous bites.

At 68, Michael Smith, an Arlington reptile expert and licensed therapist, is publishing a herpetology guide for teens, targeted to cultivate a love for reptiles and nature. His passion for reptiles began early, leading to co-founding the Dallas-Fort Worth Herpetological Society and writing various guides, including a mindfulness-in-nature book.

Both the Dallas and Fort Worth zoos, though closed to the public due to Covid-19, continue animal care routines and bolster online engagements. Staffing and financial challenges persist; Dallas Zoo even launched an Emergency Operations Fund. Measures are in place for social distancing, and animals enjoy more freedom during the closure.

Saving animals is addictive. We rarely are privy to the full impact we have on the world. With wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, it’s right there in front of you — until you’re hopefully able to release back to the wild. To hold an animal that would be dead if not for your efforts is rewarding to the extreme and exhausting as well.