Texas is Plagued With a Growing List of Endangered Species

Texas has it all. With the amount of land we encompass we should have it all. The problem is that we are losing some things at an alarming rate. Yes, Texas is one of the largest states so that means we should have plenty of land to share with the animals.

That does not seem to be the case. Texas is big. Yes, but we also are big into developing a lot of our land. The overabundance of people mess with the lives of animals. The more of us that take over the lands of the animals leads to the list of endangered species.

As of right now, Texas has a growing list of animals that could see extinction. There are one hundred and fifty species that are listed as threatened in this great state of Texas. Add to that a list of seventy-four that are right now on the endangered list. This is not looking good for Texas.

There are seven animals according to Earth.org that are listed as the most endangered species in Texas.

Seven of the Most Endangered Species in Texas

1. Ocelot - Outside of wildlife rescues you can only find this beautiful wildcat in certain parts of Texas. Illegal fur has been a big reason for their decline.
2. Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles - They can be found in the Gulf of Mexico. The sad truth is that some say by the estimation that there are only about fifty-five females left nesting in Texas. This is not looking good.
3. Golden-cheeked Warbler - Central Texas is the only place you can find the Warbler. There are less than thirty thousand of these bright yellow-cheeked birds left in Texas.
4. Whooping Crane - These cranes were once on the brink of extinction due to being hunted for their meat. At one point there were less than twenty around. The numbers are growing but not enough to remove them from this list. There are only about eight hundred left.
5. Texas Horned Lizard - I remember playing with horny toads growing up outside Amarillo and Canyon. That was my first introduction to them. To know that they are now on the endangered list saddens me. It seems that their exploring is what is doing them in. They end up on roadways and then run over.
6. Texas Kangaroo Rat - You can find these mainly in the north-central region of Texas. Their lack of habitat is what is leading to their untimely demise.
7. Black Bears - Hunters are the cause of the black bear being on this list. Add to that the loss of their habitat and it's no surprise that they are endangered.

There are a lot of great things that come with growth. Then there is the loss of animals that some people don't realize comes with that growth. Hopefully, none of these animals find themselves on the extinction list.