Jacob Croft who is pictured above is one of our newest City of El Paso Volunteers. Jacob is a scientist trained in biology working with the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition on a project to bring back the black-tailed prairie dog to the El Paso region. He has been passionate about wildlife and conservation all of…
Month: July 2021
Zoo Spotlight: Amazon Tree boa
Amazon Tree Boa Corallus hortulana Status: Unknown Size: 20-74 inches Habitat: Lowland Rainforest At the Zoo: Reptile House Unlike its larger cousin the boa constrictor, the tree boa is very aggressive. No one knows exactly why some snakes are more aggressive than others, but it is something to keep in mind if you are interested…
Listen to Living on Earth on your daily commute
The award-winning environmental news program Living on Earth is for anyone concerned about what is happening in our world today and wanting to become better informed. The way things are going with habitat destruction, the growing threat of climate change and species extinctions, radio and TV programs and podcasts focused on the environment are becoming more…
What are wildlife corridors?
Did you know that most parks and protected natural areas are not able to adequately protect wildlife? In many of these “islands” of habitat wildlife are trapped and cannot replenish themselves with others of their own kind. The problem is the same around the world. Wildlife corridors that connect habitats have been completely developed or…
Yes you saw a pink snake!
For many years when I wore my Ranger Rick hat working at Big Bend National Park some of my most memorable conversations at the Panther Junction Visitor Center were when people driving through the park would stop by and report seeing a large pink snake crossing the road. You just don’t see a pink snake…
Can’t find our wolves?
If you have been to the Zoo recently and have visited our Mexican wolf exhibit, you will experience something very unusual for our Zoo. Our Mexican wolves have gone underground. Our wolf pack is beating the heat by staying most of the day underground in a new burrow they have dug. We can still monitor…
How serious are we about climate change?
The world has never done anything like this. Bill Gates, How to Avoid A Climate Disaster, Alfred A. Knopf, 2021 I wish I could tell you that we and the rest of the world are serious about tackling climate change. There definitely are a lot of people who are serious about getting involved and taking…
Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife: Gambel’s Quail
Gambel’s Quail Lophortyx gambeliiStatus: Least ConcernSize: 8.5 inches in lengthHabitat: Southwest Deserts in the US and MexicoAt the Zoo: Chihuahuan Desert Exhibit Commonly seen in the El Paso area this quail species shares it’s desert habitat with Scaled Quail (also called Cotton-top Quail or Blue Quail). A good place to watch for them is at…
Nature conservation effort underway in Juarez
by Rick LoBello, Education Curator Earlier this year after reading a number of Facebook posts on the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition group page, I met Ray Aguilar and his friend Nestor Acosta from Juarez on Zoom. Ray and his friends are working to protect the Sierra de Juarez mountain range and other desert mountain areas…
Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife: The Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle Aguila chrysaetos Status: Least Concerned Size: 27.6-33.1 inches, Wingspan: 72.8-86.6 inches Habitat: Wide range of habitat types, including high-altitude regions, deserts, forests and open areas. At the Zoo: Education Animal in Training. Not on exhibit. The Golden Eagle is a fascinating bird to watch fly with its massive wingspan commanding the eyes. The national bird…
Zoo launches Animal Wrappers on LearnDash
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens started offering virtual programs in March of 2020 using Zoom. Since then we have also added a number of programs to our YouTube channel. Using a popular program called LearnDash we now have a remote learning opportunity called Animal Wrappers. For many…
300 million tons of plastic and counting
Plastic pollution is killing ocean animals and tiny pieces of plastic called microplastics are everywhere. Who is leading the fight against plastic pollution? We all know that individuals can can make a difference by avoiding single use plastics, but are voluntary actions by individuals enough to solve the huge global problem where according to the Sierra Club here…
Sierra Club says mountain lions in Texas should be reclassified
In Texas, mountain lions (Puma concolor) are classified as nongame wildlife. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website, this means that mountain lions may be hunted at any time by any lawful means or methods on private property. The nongame species status also means that mountain lions may be harvested year-round. While certain nongame…
Conservation Education 