Nature

Cities are growing, and wildlife is moving in right alongside people. From bats and raccoons to coyotes and pigeons, animals are adapting to urban life in new ways. Texas Public Radio’s Tim Gutierrez spoke to one author who says cities may be among the most important ecosystems in the country.

Scaled quail – also known as blue quail and “cottontops” – are quintessential creatures of the arid grasslands and the dominant quail species in West Texas. Researchers at Alpine’s Borderlands Research Institute are learing how adaptable these seemingly vulnerable creatures are.

Every year for the past several decades, the Texas Department of Transportation has spent tens of thousands of dollars annually to plant nearly 30,000 pounds of bluebonnets and other wildflowers along roadways.

The federally threatened plant commonly known as Tiny Tim was discovered in Oklahoma within the past few years. Now it's on the road to being removed from a federal list of endangered species.

It's the first app developed by Texas Parks & Wildlife, with a focus on boosting struggling pollinator populations.

Texas’ highway investments over the past decade are paying off, according to a report released at the end of last year. As The Texas Newsroom’s Lucio Vasquez reports, drivers are saving money and spending less time in traffic, and fewer people are dying on the road. Lubbock Lake Landmark is kicking off 90 years of discovery, for which it has events and expert lectures planned throughout the year. This Saturday at 10:30 a.m. is a Waterfowl Workshop, hosted by the South Plains Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists.

The Chinati Mountains State Natural Area encompasses 39,000 acres of pristine Chihuahuan Desert landscape. Marfa Public Radio recently got a sneak peek of the new park, which is not set to formally open until 2032.

Every fall, West Texans look to the skies for one of nature’s most remarkable journeys: the migration of the monarch butterfly. But monarch butterfly populations are declining due to threats like habitat loss, herbicide use and climate change.

Lubbock Lake Landmark is a snapshot of the land before settlement, preserving archeological evidence of early-human life and the natural history of the region’s plants and animals. Through its discoveries, education, and conservation, staff with the Landmark have reintroduced native wildlife driven out of the area, and continue to explore possibilities for the land and for those who love it.

Americans are losing their starry views to light pollution. But some communities are make lighting decisions to help preserve night skies – while benefiting wildlife and human health.