Author Archives: ChihuahuanDesertProtector

Calliope Hummingbird Enjoy reading about our amazing Chihuahuan Desert. Sign up for a free subscription to our blog Most people in El Paso who are paying attention to their backyard birds have noticed that hummingbirds are back for the summer breeding season.  If you have not seen any yet try putting out a hummingbird feeder.  Hummingbird feedersContinueContinue reading “Hummingbirds”

Enjoy reading about our amazing Chihuahuan Desert. Sign up for a free subscription to our blog The red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora) is a succulent plant of the Chihuahuan Desert. It is also called the hummingbird yucca because its flowers are very attractive to hummingbirds. A member of the Agave Family (century plants), it is actually not aContinueContinue reading “Chihuahuan Desert Plants: Red Yucca”

By Rick LoBello, Board Member Enjoy reading about our amazing Chihuahuan Desert. Sign up for a free subscription to our blog. Like so many I often go on Google when searching the Internet.  Goggle includes a link below the search box at the bottom of the page stating that they have been carbon neutral since 2007.  CarbonContinueContinue reading “How do you go carbon neutral?”

Western coachwhip snake By Rick LoBello, Board Member For many years when I wore my Ranger Rick hat working at Big Bend National Park some of my most memorable conversations at the Panther Junction Visitor Center were when people driving through the park would stop by and report seeing a large pink snake crossing theContinueContinue reading “Yes you saw a pink snake!”

by Robert D. Vines PE, C.P.M., Board Member Advocate Elect Legislators who are Pro-Earth. – El Paso is in good shape here, but our officials are in the minority in the state capital, and on a national level, Texas seems to have its head in the sand.  Help Educate others – There are too many people whoContinueContinue reading “Advocate for Climate Change”

This is a prickly pear cactus that turns purple during the winter months. By Rick LoBello, Board Member Some of the plants that we have living here in the Chihuahuan Desert are much more resilient than most of us realize.   When you think about the extreme periods of drought and temperatures that they have toContinueContinue reading “It’s hard to kill a prickly pear”

Enjoy reading about our amazing Chihuahuan Desert. Sign up for a free subscription to our blog Olivia, the Virginia opossum, is one of 70 different wildlife species living behind the scenes at the Zoo as part of our Education Animal collection.  Education animals are featured in up close and personal animal encounters where staff andContinueContinue reading “Meet Olivia the opossum”

The Wetland Roost is a prime candidate for water-efficient restructuring. Snow Geese in flight and hundreds of Sandhill Cranes on the water at Wetlands Roost, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Phil, Wikimedia Creative Commons Upgrading an iconic wetland Each December morning, hundreds of spectators travel to witness the wonder of winter birdContinueContinue reading “Largest wildlife refuge near El Paso responding to climate change”

This is a picture of a Loggerhead Shrike, one of our resident birds. By Erin Strasser, International Biologist, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies With a hooked beak and predatory habits, the Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) has acquired some ferocious nicknames: The Butcher Bird or, in Spanish, El Verdugo (The Executioner). Although a songbird, they are uniqueContinueContinue reading “Meet the Loggerhead Shrike, an honorary Chihuahuan Desert raptor”

During the past decade the orangutan population has decreased by approximately 50 percent in the wild. This is primarily due to human activities including rainforest destruction for palm oil plantations. At present, 80 percent of orangutan habitat has been altered or lost. Photo by David Cook, Wikimedia Creative Commons. Guest Blogger – Robert Hii -TheContinueContinue reading “National Certification Standards, the way forward for sustainable palm oil?”