Educational Articles

The Wildlife Center of Texas received a call from a concerned citizen who had spotted a large turtle trapped in a deep ravine along Buffalo Bayou.  A rescue driver from the Houston SPCA was dispatched to pick up the 44 pound injured turtle.   The turtle was a female alligator snapping turtle with a stout fish hook imbedded in her cheek.  The turtle was sent to Texas A&M’s School of Veterinary Medicine in College Station for surgery.  X-ray examination indicated that a second hook was also lodged in the throat of the turtle.  The surgery was completed the following day and the turtle was returned to the Wildlife Center. The alligator snapping turtle is a fascinating native to Houston.  The strongly hooked beak and massive head of this creature make it quite distinct.  The three rows of pointed scales or scutes on it carapace give it an almost dinosaur-like appearance.  Unlike the much more prevalent common snapping turtle, the tail is smooth and not at all “alligator”-like.  Hatchling alligator snappers are no larger than a 50-cent piece but rapidly gain weight until they reach maturity at about 12 years.  Snapping turtles are obligate carnivores.  In its younger years, the alligator snapper feeds primarily on fish by employing a unique physical attribute.  On the forward portion of its tongue are two pink extensions that the turtle wiggles about like a worm.  The turtle sits motionless with its huge jaws agape until an unsuspecting fish ventures too near.  As the alligator snapping turtle ages, it becomes more of an active predator and feeds on fish, crayfish, mussels and clams, and somewhat disturbingly, other turtles.  The alligator snapper has chemo-receptors in its mouth than can detect mud and musk [...]

Thank you to everyone who helped make this years golf tournament the best one yet! This was made possible because of the support of sponsors, golfers and the many great volunteers who all team up together and help Texas wildlife get a second chance at life.

The Wildlife Center of Texas has teamed up with Amazon.com to help our wildlife friends!  Now when you make a purchase on Amazon.com, the Wildlife Center of Texas will receive up to 10% back on the purchase price. You must use the special links for the Wildlife Center of Texas to receive the donation.  Click on the picture of the items you are interested in buying below and start shopping to save lives. Please bookmark the link and share with your friends to help us, help them!

The Wildlife Center of Texas continues to ready all of its baby nurseries for the upcoming baby season.  the Center has already cared for hundreds of baby squirrels, opossums and rabbits this year.  The first babies back in late January are already in release cages or have already been released.  It seems that the day a group goes out another group comes in so the nurseries stay full.     We received our first fawn of the season so we are reminding everyone to make sure that a fawn you might find is truly orphaned or injured before picking it up.  A call the Wildlife Center can help make that determination.  Baby birds are also finding their way to the Center.  If a baby bird is found on the ground and seems to be in good shape try putting it back in the nest.  If you can’t reach the nest try using a hanging basket to put the baby in.  After observing for several hours, if the parents do not come back then bring it to the Wildlife Center.   The Wildlife Center has several baby owlets, doves and songbirds.  While our mammal babies are quiet, the baby birds certainly are not, and let us know they are ready to eat all the time.  Dedicated staff and volunteers are on hand to keep everyone healthy and happy with food preparation, feeding and cage cleaning.  If you would like to volunteer please visit  our Get Involved Volunteering page.

We need your help! The Wildlife Center of Texas has been swamped with an influx of baby squirrels. Over 100 were admitted over the past weekend, and they expect many more to arrive in the next couple of weeks. Please visit The Wildlife Center of Texas Wish List on Amazon.com and donate an Aquarium Brooder Top which helps keep them warm and safe between feedings.

Photo Courtesy of Jim Smith       A gentleman was out walking his dog and noticed this injured great blue heron tangled in fishing line with a damaged wing in one of the ponds in Meyers Park.  Calls were made and the Wildlife Center of Texas was contacted.       Photo Courtesy of Jim Smith   WCT volunteer, Karen Smith, was asked to coordinate the rescue.  Thanks to the fabulous efforts of Harris County precinct four Meyers Park crew and Karen this injured great blue heron was captured  and taken to the Wildlife Center of Texas.  The bird was examined and an imbedded hook was removed.  The wing wounds were cleaned and the bird was put on antibiotics and pain medications.  Wildlife Center staff and volunteers are amazed at how feisty this bird is and expect him to make a full recovery.   Photo Courtesy of Jim Smith     Thanks to Jim who found the bird; Karen who went to rescue and retrieve the bird, the park crew who helped with the rescue,  skilled veterinarians and dedicated WCT staff and volunteers, this heron should be back out in the wild in a couple of weeks.  Thank you to all who were involved.

On Sunday afternoon, the Wildlife Center of Texas received a call about a heron that was hanging by an old kite string in a pine tree. The heron had been perched on a limb earlier that morning, but evidently had fallen off and wrapped the line around the first few flight feathers of one wing. The heron was hanging about 50-60 feet up in the air by just those feathers. The Wedgewood Forest neighborhood and other residents out enjoying their Sunday strolls became immediately involved in trying to help the heron. Extension ladders, law enforcement, and a variety of other avenues were explored or attempted with no success. Karen Smith, volunteer with The Wildlife Center of Texas, drove out to the site prior to dusk to survey the situation and plan accordingly. The only solution was to find a tree service that would volunteer their time to assist. On Monday morning. Shain Mann, owner of Mann’s Tree Service, volunteered to meet Karen at the residence, along with his employee, James.   Click the photo to enlarge  James had to climb a nearby pine tree and was able to pull the heron toward him to cut it free from the kite string. Residents and Karen were ready on the ground with a blanket to catch the heron in a free-fall situation. James was able to carefully secure a rope to the heron and slowly lower it down. The heron was cold and in shock. Karen immediately drove it to the Wildlife Center of Texas where it was warmed, stabilized and given pain medications. A huge “thank you” goes out to Shain Mann and James for their assistance. As we have mentioned before, it takes a community [...]