1. Texas Symbols
The Wildlife of Texas

2. State Symbols
Every state has symbols that show its heritage and culture
The state flag is one of the most recognized symbols of a state
There are also state mottos, songs, food, plants, shells, fabric, minerals and more!
Every state has wildlife symbols that include small and large mammals, reptiles, insects, fish, birds and more

3. Texas – The Lone Star State

4. Large Mammal Texas Longhorn
Image credit: Ed Schipul from Houston, TX, US

5. Texas Longhorn Became the official state large mammal in 1995
Texas Longhorns have many different colors and markings
Their horns can reach over seven feet long! That’s taller than most adults!
Texas longhorns are great survivors. They are a strong breed and go a long time without water, they can swim rivers, get their own food, tolerate extreme heat and cold.

6. Image credit: Clinton & Charles Robertson from Del Rio, Texas & San Marcos, TX, USA

9. Small Mammal
Nine Banded Armadillo

10. Nine Banded Armadillo Became the official small mammal in 1995
The nine banded armadillo doesn’t always have 9 bands, it has 8-10 bands
Their armor helps protect them against predators
Nine banded armadillos are nocturnal
They are solitary animals and live in burrows
They are not usually aggressive
They eat mostly insects but are not picky eaters and will eat fruit, vegetables and other animals

15. Flying Mammal
Mexican Free Tailed Bat

16. Mexican Free-Tailed Bat
Became the official state flying mammal in 1995
The largest known colony is near San Antonio and has over 20 million bats!
They have a wingspan of about a foot
Oklahoma also has the Mexican free-tailed bat as their flying mammal
Most bat colonies in Texas migrate to warmer climates in the winter except for one right here in Houston!
The Waugh Bridge Bat Colony near Buffalo Bayou has about 250,000 bats and they remain there year round. You can go see them every night as they emerge to munch on insects
The Waugh Bridge Bat Colony eats about 2.5 tons of insects every night!

17. Image credit: Peter Potrowl

18. City of Houston Parks and Wildlife http://www. houstontx

19. Insect
Monarch butterfly

20. Monarch Butterfly
The monarch butterfly became the official state insect in 1995
Monarchs migrate to the south but only the 4th generation migrates because the first three die about 6 weeks after emerging from the cocoon
The 4th generation lives six to eight months
Monarch caterpillars eat milkweed and must have it to survive
Once the caterpillar turns into a butterfly it can eat nectar from any flower.

25. Bird
Mockingbird

26. Mockingbird Became the official state bird in 1927
They can sing up to 200 different songs and can mimic other animals, other birds and man-made sounds, even car alarms
They are omnivores and eat worms, berries, seeds or animals
They are highly social animals and are often seen playing together. Older mockingbirds often watch over younger ones, even if they are not their own.
Mockingbirds are very intelligent and can even remember different humans

28. Image credit: Manjithkaini

29. Image credit: Henry Detwiler

30. Dog
Blue Lacy
Image credit: TrueBlueLacys

31. Blue Lacy Became the official state dog breed in 1995
Originated in Texas and is a cross between a coyote, wolf, greyhound and scenthound
They are a working dog and were bred for herding hogs
There are three different color variations that are acceptable: blue (light silver to charcoal), reds and tricolor
They are highly intelligent, easy to train, hard working and alert and they prefer to have a job

32. Image credit: TrueBlueLacys

33. Image credit: TrueBlueLacys

35. Reptile
Texas Horned Lizard
Image credit: Ben Goodwyn

36. Texas Horned Lizard Became the official state reptile in 1993
Because their habitat is shrinking they are a threatened species in Texas
They are not aggressive
Their color allows them to camouflage but they can also puff up so their scales stick out, making them hard to swallow and they can shoot blood from their eye and mouth to confuse predators
They eat mostly harvester ants but also eat grasshoppers, termites and beetles

39. Image credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife

40. Fish
Guadalupe Bass
Image credit: Clinton & Charles Robertson from Del Rio, Texas & San Marcos, TX, USA

41. Guadalupe Bass Became state fish in 1989 They are only found in Texas
They live in fast moving streams and rivers
They have almost no predators
They are fighters so they are fun to catch when fishing
They like to eat insects

42. Image credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife

43. Dinosaur
Paluxysaurus Jonesi

44. Paluxysaurus Jonesi
The official state dinosaur was approved in but it was misidentified. The name was officially changed in 2007
It weight about twenty tons
It was sixty feet long
It had a neck about twenty-six feet long

46. Additional Resources
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