#AtoZChallenge2020: Endangered Species

Theme: Natural Texas

“Endangered Species”

An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, and invasive species.

Texas’ ecoregions have a number of endangered species. Some of these are as follows:

Birds:

  Black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapillus)

  Golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia)

  Western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea)

  White-faced ibis (Plegadis chihi)

Cacti:

  Davis green pitaya (Echinocereus viridiflorus var. davisii)

  Nelly cory cactus (Coryphantha minima)

  Sneed pincushion cactus (Coryphantha sneedii var sneedii)

Fish:

  American eel (Anguilla rostrata)

Forbs:

  Ashy dogweed (Thymophylla tephroleuca)

  Basin bellflower (Campanula reverchonii)

 

  Large-fruited sand verbena (Abronia macrocarpa)

  Navasota ladies’ –tresses (Spiranthes parksii)

  Rock quillwort (Isoetes lithophila)

  Texas poppy-mallow (Callirhoe scabriuscula)

  Texas trailing phlox (Phlox nivalis spp. texensis)

    White bladderpod (Lesquerella pallida)

Grasses:

  Texas wild-rice (Zizania texana)

Trees and Shrubs:

  Texas snowbells (Styrax texanus)

Insects:

  American bumblebee (Bombus pensylvanicus)

Reptiles:

  Black spotted newt (Notophthalmus meridionalis)

  Black striped snake (Coniophanes imperialis)

  San Marcos salamander (Eurycea nana)

  South Texas siren (Siren spp.)

  Texas blind salamander (Eurycea [Typhlomolge] rathbunii)

  Texas indigo snake (Drymarchon corais erebennus)

  Texas scarlet snake (Cemophora coccinea lineri)

  Texas tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri)

Woody Mountain Species:

  Hinckley’s oak (Quercus hinckleyi)

 

What is being done to conserve our natural resources in Texas? The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department administers a grant program called the Landowner Incentive Program (LIP). This program is designed to help landowners implement conservation practices that will benefit rare plants like the Texas poppy mallow, animals like the black-capped vireo, or habitat types like native prairie. In addition to the LIP program, TPW provides free technical assistance to landowners/managers wanting to improve their wildlife habitat. Other agencies and organizations such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Natural Resource Conservation Service, and the Texas Cooperative Extension also offer financial or technical assistance programs to help landowners better manage wildlife habitat.

An extensive list of Texas’ endangered species can be found HERE.