By: Ricky Garibay
Preservation can be achieved in many ways, from providing supplemental feeding, shelter, and watering areas. Student Researchers Ricky Garibay, Chloe Delahoussaye, and Ty Cosper (Figure 1), accompanied by the Tarleton Student Chapter of Wildlife Society, deployed wood duck nesting boxes with hopes that the boxes will promote biodiversity, health, and ecosystem stability. On one of the newest Research Partnerships with the Department of Wildlife and Natural Resources, Flat Top Ranch.
Doing Our Part as Wildlife Professionals:
Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa) (Figure 2) is a sharp-dressed waterfowl species that inhabits swamps, woodland ponds, and riparian areas. They have a low concern conservation status in Texas, meaning their populations are healthy and thriving. Although they are of low concern now, it’s still important that we aid in preserving the species today for our enjoyment tomorrow. This species faces challenges because they only nest in cavities of trees that are typically old or dead standing, called snags. Most landowners are unaware of the cavity-nesting birds that call old snags home, resulting in most snags being removed for astatic reasons. While snags may not be the prettiest home on the block, they’re a creekside townhome for some. These unmistakable birds are truly unique easily identified by their sharp green crested head feathers, elongated tails, and a stunning array of blues, browns, yellows, and white on their wings and body. (Figure 2)
Flat Top Ranch (Figure 3) spans nearly 20,000 acres in Walnut Springs, Texas. It is located in a unique, rugged region of north-central Texas, accompanied by several lakes, streams, and the Bosque River. “Where the antelope play” is no understatement; the ranch is home to elk, wildebeest, Kudu, and several other wildlife species that roam the open fields, hills, and varying vegetation types. The ranch aims to preserve the native prairies and lands it sits on by practicing limited livestock grazing pressures, wildlife management, and water and soil conservation.
The Department of Wildlife and Natural Resources Wildlife Biologist and Professor Dr. Jeff Breeden, Ricky Garibay (Graduate Researcher and Wildlife Biologist) (Figure 4), and Chloe Delahoussaye (Undergraduate Researcher) are actively involved in research efforts at Flat Top Ranch that will further grow their knowledge of the area and applied research and are ecstatic to continue the joint efforts on management goals and to continue the practice of gold-standard land stewardship practices. With plans for avian surveys, riparian ecology, and wildlife movements using game cameras.
Additionally, we want to thank Gary Phillips and the entire Flat Top Ranch entity for ensuring the success of future generations of conservationists, biologists, and ecologists through the profound experiential learning opportunities they have provided.
