A DINOSAUR-like predator that can easily break human bones with one chomp is one of several rare species hiding in the wilderness.
There’s also a mysterious wild, spotted cat struggling to survive in Texas, warns an expert.
The state is home to many medium-to-large animals that most Texans are clueless about as they are hardly ever seen, reported The Dallas Morning News.
The Lone Star State has many special animals “that are very cryptic,” said Jaime Jimenez, biology professor at the University of North Texas.
One such example is the alligator snapping turtle, an apex predator with a bite strong enough to crush bone.
The mysterious, craggy-looking reptile resembles a prehistoric dinosaur, or even Bowser from Mario Kart, joked the newspaper.
In a strange twist, river-dwelling turtles were once the key component of Campbell’s Turtle Soup during the 1960s. These turtles were heavily harvested for their meat up until the 1970s.
Today, these turtles are rarely found in natural habitats, as they live submerged, often resting on the bottoms of water bodies, and can hold their breath for 40 to 50 minutes. In Texas, sightings are mostly reported in the Houston region.
This turtle holds the title of being the largest freshwater turtle species in the western hemisphere. Some hefty specimens raised in captivity have surpassed 250 pounds (113 kg), as noted by Texas Turtles.
Back in 2020, wildlife conservationists were stunned after catching a 100-pound whopper in a Florida river.
Alligator snapping turtles are sometimes described as dinosaur-like because of their spiky shells and primitive-looking faces, said the National Wildlife Federation (NWF).
Sam Kieschnick, urban wildlife biologist at Texas Parks and Wildlife, said: “These guys are just massive prehistoric dinosaur-like critters… big, big, big guys; they are definitely apex predators, but their M.O. is to stay hidden, too.”
They have three pointed ridges along their shells that run from head to tail.
When it comes to food, they prefer to tuck into opossums, mink, snakes, birds, acorns, crayfish, salamanders, fish, frogs, and even other turtles.
Unsuspecting fish are duped by a lure-like projection on their tongue, which tricks them into swimming right into their mouths.
Alligator snapping turtles are found exclusively in the United States, from northern Florida to eastern Texas and as far north as Iowa, said the NWF.
RARE CATS
Kieschnick and Jimenez also gave a special shout-out for the beautiful American Ocelot, one of the country’s most endangered cats, which are facing extinction.
Fewer than 100 live in the U.S. today between South Texas and Mexico.
Kieschnick said it “sucked” that there weren’t more in the wild, as “unfortunately, here in Texas, we just have a couple populations of ocelots.”
Jimenez added, “They blend very well… their very nice stripes and patterns on their faces and body makes them very cryptic and difficult to see.”
What species are endangered in Texas?
The Lone Star State has been facing significant biodiversity loss
The most endangered species in Texas include:
- Ocelot – the iconic spotted wildcat has suffered a huge decline due to habitat loss and illegal hunting
- Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles – smallest yet the most critically endangered sea turtle species in the world
- Golden-cheeked Warbler – This species can only be found in the oak-juniper woodlands of Central Texas
- Whooping Crane – known for its stark white plumage, black-tipped features and a red cap
- Texas Horned Lizard – this unique reptile tends to bask on paved roads, and is often killed by busy traffic
- Texas Kangaroo Rat – rare nocturnal animal species that live in underground dens at the base or roots of a small mesquite tree
- Black Bears – their numbers plummeted due to hunting
Ocelots once prowled throughout Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Arizona, reported the Smithsonian magazine.
But they became endangered due to loss of habitat from expanding development. They were also historically hunted for their spotted fur.
Researchers are in a desperate race to save the species by breeding captive ocelots in zoos using sperm collected from wild cats in South Texas.
SECRETIVE
Another rarely-seen cat is the 7ft-long Mountain Lion, which has tawny brown colored fur.
They’re “relatively uncommon, secretive carnivores,” said Texas Parks & Wildlife.
Mountain Lions are also called cougars, pumas, panthers, painters, and catamounts, and usually live in remote mountains, canyonlands, or hilly areas with good cover.
Kieschnick shared some advice for nature-lovers hoping to spot any of the highlighted species: “stay quiet.”
He added that if you’re not rowdy, and stick to paths and trails, “you’ll see a lot of things — especially in the mornings or in the evenings for mammals.”
