Wildlife of Proto-Town/Animals

Wildlife guide: Overview · Plants · Fungi · Animals · Birds · Bugs · Microbial life

Edibility disclaimer: An edibility label says only that the organism is conventionally eaten in Western foodways or is recognized as a survival food. It is not an identification guarantee, permission to harvest, legal guidance, preparation instructions, or a statement that a particular specimen is safe. Misidentification, disease, contamination, pesticides, allergies, spoilage, season, protected status, hunting and foraging rules, landowner authorization, and required processing can all make consumption unsafe or illegal. Do not forage, hunt, trap, harvest, butcher, or eat anything based only on this guide. Consult Proto-Town management for current foraging or hunting information before attempting it yourself, and follow all applicable laws and expert safety guidance.

Wild animals should be observed from a distance and never fed. An animal that is unusually tame, staggering, circling, repeatedly approaching people, or unable to use its limbs may be injured or ill; keep people and pets away and notify the appropriate local authority.

White-tailed deer

White-tailed deer

Type	Mammal; deer
Scientific name	Odocoileus virginianus
Texan regional name	Whitetail
Origin	Native
Conservation status	Game animal; not federally listed
Edibility	CONVENTIONALLY EATEN GAME Venison. Legal season, license, tagging, land authorization, carcass rules, and safe field handling apply.
Hazard	PAINFUL OR SIGNIFICANT DANGER Major vehicle-strike hazard. Cornered adults, rutting bucks, and does defending fawns can kick or gore.

White-tailed deer are common at woodland edges, fields, and roads, especially near dawn and dusk. Their browsing shapes vegetation and can damage plantings where populations are dense. A raised white tail is the most conspicuous alarm signal as a deer bounds away.

Encounter guidance: Slow down when one deer crosses a road because others often follow. Do not approach or “rescue” a motionless fawn unless a wildlife professional directs you to do so.

Northern raccoon

Northern raccoon

Type	Mammal; carnivoran
Scientific name	Procyon lotor
Texan regional name	Raccoon; coon
Origin	Native
Conservation status	Furbearer; not federally listed
Hazard	PAINFUL OR SIGNIFICANT DANGER Can bite and transmit rabies; droppings may contain raccoon roundworm eggs.

Raccoons are adaptable nocturnal omnivores recognized by a black facial mask and ringed tail. They investigate trash, feed, water, attics, and cavities with dexterous front paws. Secure food waste and animal feed to avoid teaching them to associate buildings with meals.

Encounter guidance: Give the animal an open escape route, bring pets inside, and do not corner or feed it. A bite or scratch requires immediate washing and prompt medical evaluation for rabies risk.

Virginia opossum

Virginia opossum

Type	Mammal; marsupial
Scientific name	Didelphis virginiana
Texan regional name	Opossum; possum
Origin	Native
Conservation status	Not federally listed
Ecological or economic value	BENEFICIAL Consumes carrion, insects, and other small animals, contributing to nutrient cycling and natural cleanup.
Hazard	NUISANCE / USE CARE May hiss, bare teeth, or bite if handled, but is usually defensive rather than aggressive.

The Virginia opossum is North America’s only native marsupial. It forages at night for insects, carrion, fruit, and other foods and often uses brush piles or spaces beneath structures. Its open-mouthed threat display looks formidable, while “playing possum” is an involuntary shutdown response.

Encounter guidance: Keep back and allow it to leave. If one is under a structure, remove attractants and wait until it departs before sealing the opening; do not pick it up.

Nine-banded armadillo

Nine-banded armadillo

Type	Mammal; armadillo
Scientific name	Dasypus novemcinctus
Texan regional name	Armadillo
Origin	Native to the Americas; naturally expanded into Texas
Conservation status	Not federally listed
Ecological or economic value	BENEFICIAL Consumes many soil invertebrates; digging in natural areas mixes and aerates surface soil.
Hazard	NUISANCE / USE CARE Sharp claws can injure handlers. Some armadillos carry the bacterium associated with Hansen disease, so handling is discouraged.

Armadillos forage for insects and other invertebrates by digging conical holes in lawns, beds, and soft soil. They are mostly active at night and may jump vertically when startled, which contributes to road collisions. The flexible bands across the middle of the shell distinguish the nine-banded species.

Encounter guidance: Observe without touching and let it move away. Keep pets from harassing it and wear gloves if official duties require contact with a carcass.

Coyote

Coyote

Type	Mammal; canid
Scientific name	Canis latrans
Texan regional name	Coyote
Origin	Native
Conservation status	Not federally listed
Ecological or economic value	BENEFICIAL Helps regulate rodents and rabbits and removes carrion from the landscape.
Hazard	PAINFUL OR SIGNIFICANT DANGER Usually avoids people but can threaten unattended pets; habituated or cornered animals may bite.

Coyotes occur throughout Texas and adapt readily to farms, campuses, and towns. They eat rodents, rabbits, insects, fruit, carrion, and unsecured food waste. Yips and group howls can make a small number of animals sound like a large pack.

Encounter guidance: Do not run. Stand tall, face the animal, shout, wave, and slowly create distance while allowing an escape route. Bring small pets inside and report repeated bold approach behavior.

Feral hog

Feral hog

Type	Mammal; pig
Scientific name	Sus scrofa
Texan regional name	Feral hog; wild pig
Origin	Introduced; invasive
Conservation status	Non-native and not protected as a game animal in Texas
Edibility	CONVENTIONALLY EATEN GAME Wild pork. Wear protective equipment while handling a carcass and cook thoroughly; feral swine can transmit brucellosis and other disease.
Hazard	PAINFUL OR SIGNIFICANT DANGER Large animals can charge or slash with tusks when cornered, wounded, or defending young; they also carry diseases transmissible to livestock and people.

Feral hogs are widespread in Texas and leave rooted soil, wallows, tracks, and extensive crop or habitat damage. They are intelligent omnivores that compete with native wildlife and reproduce rapidly. Groups of females and young are called sounders.

Encounter guidance: Do not approach or block the animal’s escape. Move calmly toward a vehicle, building, or substantial barrier; keep dogs restrained. Report repeated activity or damage to the land manager rather than attempting capture.

Western diamondback rattlesnake

Western diamondback rattlesnake

Type	Reptile; pit viper
Scientific name	Crotalus atrox
Texan regional name	Western diamondback; diamondback rattler
Origin	Native
Conservation status	Not federally listed
Ecological or economic value	BENEFICIAL An important native predator of rodents and other small animals.
Hazard	CAN BE FATAL IF UNTREATED Venomous bite can cause severe tissue injury, bleeding, shock, and death without timely treatment.

The western diamondback is a heavy-bodied snake with dark diamond markings and contrasting black-and-white tail bands before the rattle. It uses grassland, scrub, rocky cover, and structures that shelter rodents. A rattle is a warning, but rattles can be broken and a snake may strike without sounding.

Encounter guidance: Stop, locate the snake, and slowly back away; give it several body lengths of space. For a bite, call 911, remove rings and tight items, keep the person still, and wait for emergency care. Do not cut, suck, ice, shock, or tourniquet the bite.

Western ratsnake

Western ratsnake

Type	Reptile; nonvenomous snake
Scientific name	Pantherophis obsoletus
Texan regional name	Texas ratsnake; chicken snake
Origin	Native
Conservation status	Not federally listed
Ecological or economic value	BENEFICIAL Provides valuable rodent control around fields, woodland edges, and structures.
Hazard	NUISANCE / USE CARE Nonvenomous but may bite and release foul musk when grabbed.

Western ratsnakes are large, patterned constrictors frequently seen climbing trees, rafters, and walls in search of rodents, birds, or eggs. They are beneficial rodent predators and are often mistaken for venomous snakes because they may flatten the head or vibrate the tail when frightened.

Encounter guidance: Do not handle it. Give it an exit and keep pets away; if removal from an occupied work area is necessary, contact a qualified wildlife responder.

Eastern cottontail

Eastern cottontail

Type	Mammal; rabbit
Scientific name	Sylvilagus floridanus
Texan regional name	Cottontail; brush rabbit
Origin	Native
Conservation status	Nongame animal; not federally listed
Edibility	CONVENTIONALLY EATEN GAME Rabbit meat. Hunting law, land authorization, sanitary field handling, and thorough cooking apply.
Hazard	No special hazard label

The eastern cottontail is the likely small rabbit around Proto-Town: brown-gray, relatively short-eared, and marked by a round white tail that flashes while it runs. It feeds on grasses and forbs near brush, field edges, gardens, and roadsides and seldom travels far from protective cover. A hare or jackrabbit is larger, longer-legged, and much longer-eared.

Encounter guidance: A motionless young rabbit is often hiding normally rather than abandoned. Keep people and pets back and contact a wildlife rehabilitator only if it is visibly injured or a professional confirms that intervention is needed.

Texas tortoise

Texas tortoise

Type	Reptile; tortoise
Scientific name	Gopherus berlandieri
Texan regional name	Texas tortoise
Origin	Native to South-Central and South Texas
Conservation status	Threatened and protected under Texas law
Ecological or economic value	BENEFICIAL Native herbivore that disperses seeds and contributes to South Texas plant communities.
Hazard	NUISANCE / USE CARE The animal is protected: collecting, possessing, transporting, selling, or harming a wild Texas tortoise is illegal. Unnecessary relocation can kill it.

The Texas tortoise has column-like hind legs and a tan to dark shell with yellow-orange centers on the scutes. Adults normally reach about 8½ inches in shell length. The tortoise-shaped animal observed at Proto-Town was estimated at roughly 8 inches, which is therefore consistent with an adult Texas tortoise rather than an exceptionally large or exotic giant tortoise. Caldwell County remains north of the species’ commonly documented county range, and a three-toed box turtle can look similar at a glance, so a photograph of the shell, hind feet, and head is still needed for confident identification.

Encounter guidance: In the wild, leave it alone. If immediate road danger can be addressed safely, move it only across the road in the direction it was already traveling and never relocate it elsewhere. In a developed area, photograph it and contact TPWD or a qualified wildlife rehabilitator. Do not collect it: Texas tortoises are protected under state law.

Three-toed box turtle

Three-toed box turtle

Type	Reptile; terrestrial turtle
Scientific name	Terrapene carolina triunguis
Texan regional name	Box turtle; three-toed box turtle
Origin	Native
Conservation status	Not federally listed; native wildlife regulations apply
Ecological or economic value	BENEFICIAL Consumes invertebrates and fallen fruit and can disperse seeds through woodland and grassland edges.
Hazard	NUISANCE / USE CARE Road traffic is a major danger to the turtle. Removing one from its home area can reduce its chance of survival.

This domed land turtle inhabits woodland edges, brushy fields, and moist shaded areas and may be mistaken for a small tortoise. The Texas subspecies usually has three toes on each hind foot, a hinged lower shell, and variable brown, yellow, or orange markings. It can close the shell tightly when frightened.

Encounter guidance: Leave it where it is. If it is in immediate road danger and you can stop safely, move it a short distance to the side it was already facing; never take it home or relocate it to a distant “better” habitat.

Green anole

Green anole

Type	Reptile; lizard
Scientific name	Anolis carolinensis
Texan regional name	Green anole; American anole; often called a chameleon
Origin	Native
Conservation status	Not federally listed
Ecological or economic value	BENEFICIAL Consumes insects and spiders on vegetation, fences, and building exteriors.
Hazard	No special hazard label

Green anoles are slender climbing lizards found on shrubs, trees, fences, and walls. They can change from bright green through mottled shades to brown, but they do not have to be uniformly colored. The form repeatedly observed at Proto-Town—a green body with a sharply divided brown tail beginning near the tail base—is consistent with a green anole that has dropped and regenerated most of its tail. The regenerated portion is structurally different from the original tail and may not match the body’s color or texture. Several bicolored individuals therefore do not necessarily indicate another species; they may indicate that several local anoles have survived attacks or other tail-loss events. Identification should also use the long pointed head, slender build, expanded adhesive toe pads, and, on displaying males, a pink-red throat fan called a dewlap.

Encounter guidance: No action is normally needed. Never grab an anole by the tail, which can detach as a defensive response. Let an indoor visitor leave through an open door or gently guide it into a container without squeezing it. A clear photograph showing the head, toes, body scales, and the tail junction is much more useful for confirmation than color alone.

Gulf Coast toad

Gulf Coast toad

Type	Amphibian; true toad
Scientific name	Incilius nebulifer
Texan regional name	Gulf Coast toad; coastal plains toad
Origin	Native
Conservation status	Not federally or state listed
Ecological or economic value	BENEFICIAL Nocturnal predator of insects and other small invertebrates, including many encountered around lights.
Hazard	NUISANCE / USE CARE Skin glands release irritating secretions when the toad is threatened. Handling may irritate eyes or broken skin, and a dog that mouths a toad may drool, foam, paw at the mouth, vomit, or develop more serious symptoms.

The Gulf Coast toad is the most likely chunky, warty toad around buildings after a warm rain. It is gray, tan, brown, or olive with a pale stripe down the back, dark blotches, prominent ridges on the head, and large glands behind the eyes. Adults shelter in soil, sprinkler boxes, debris, and other cool recesses by day, then emerge at night to eat insects around lights. Very small “baby toads” may appear in numbers after tadpoles leave temporary water.

Encounter guidance: Let it move away and wash hands after accidental contact. Keep dogs from licking or biting it. If a pet mouths a toad, remove the pet from the area and call a veterinarian; for mild mouth irritation, Texas A&M advises gently wiping the inside of the mouth with a damp cloth rather than forcing running water into it. Seek emergency veterinary care for tremors, seizures, weakness, breathing difficulty, collapse, or unresponsiveness.

Rio Grande chirping frog

Rio Grande chirping frog

Type	Amphibian; direct-developing frog
Scientific name	Eleutherodactylus campi; older sources use E. cystignathoides campi or E. cystignathoides
Texan regional name	Rio Grande chirping frog; chirping frog
Origin	Native to South Texas and northeastern Mexico; introduced and established in Central Texas
Conservation status	Not federally or state listed
Hazard	No special hazard label

This tiny brown, gray, or olive frog is often only about an inch long and may be noticed after rain beneath pots, boards, leaf litter, landscaping, or inside damp ground-level rooms. Its repeated peep or squeaky chirp is easily mistaken for an insect. Unlike most frogs, it does not need a pond for tadpoles: eggs are laid in moist sheltered places and hatch directly into miniature frogs. Nursery plants have helped spread it beyond its original South Texas range.

Encounter guidance: No special action is needed. Avoid squeezing or handling it with dry, chemical-contaminated hands; gently guide an indoor frog into a damp container and release it into nearby sheltered vegetation away from traffic and pets.

Blanchard's cricket frog

Blanchard's cricket frog

Type	Amphibian; small treefrog relative
Scientific name	Acris blanchardi
Texan regional name	Cricket frog; Blanchard's cricket frog
Origin	Native
Conservation status	Not federally or state listed in Texas
Ecological or economic value	BENEFICIAL Consumes small insects and forms part of the native wetland food web.
Hazard	No special hazard label

This very small, rough-skinned frog lives along pond edges, ditches, puddles, creeks, and other shallow water. Color varies from gray and brown to greenish, often with dark triangular markings and a brighter stripe along the back. It makes a rapid series of clicks resembling two pebbles tapped together and may become conspicuous around temporary water after rain. It is a frog, not a juvenile toad.

Encounter guidance: Watch where you step near puddles and drainage edges and let it jump to cover. Do not move frogs between ponds, since moving amphibians can spread disease and disrupt local populations.

Domestic cattle

Domestic cattle

Type	Domestic mammal; grazing livestock
Scientific name	Bos taurus; some herds may include Bos indicus ancestry
Texan regional name	Cattle; cow, bull, steer, heifer, or calf according to sex and age
Origin	Domesticated; introduced with people
Conservation status	Welcomed and managed resident livestock; wildlife conservation status not applicable
Ecological or economic value	BENEFICIAL Managed grazing and livestock production provide land-management and agricultural value to Proto-Town.
Edibility	COMMON FOOD Beef. Proto-Town's resident cattle are managed livestock and are not available for individual harvesting or butchering.
Hazard	DOMESTIC LARGE ANIMAL — SIGNIFICANT HAZARD Cattle are powerful animals capable of kicking, charging, trampling, crushing a person against a fence or vehicle, or goring with horns. Large animals on roads or aircraft movement areas can cause severe or fatal collisions.

Cattle are welcomed as managed grazing livestock and are permitted to move through designated parts of Proto-Town’s land. They are not loose wildlife, even when no handler is visible. Individual temperament, maternal behavior, herd movement, unfamiliar people, dogs, vehicles, noise, confined spaces, and access to feed can all change how cattle respond. A calm-looking animal still has a wide kicking arc and can move much faster than a person at close range.

Encounter guidance: Do not feed, pet, chase, shout at, ride, herd, separate, or attempt to treat cattle unless the livestock manager has assigned and trained you for that work. Leave gates exactly as directed and verify that a gate intended to contain cattle is fully latched. Keep a generous distance, move calmly, preserve an escape route, and never place yourself between a cow and calf, a bull and the herd, or an animal and its only exit. Keep dogs restrained and away from the herd. Drive slowly and wait for cattle to clear rather than forcing a vehicle through a tightly grouped herd. If cattle enter a road, active work zone, runway, taxi path, or other aircraft movement area, stop affected operations, keep others clear, and notify the livestock and site-operations contacts; do not improvise a roundup. Report an injured, trapped, ill, or dead animal without approaching it.

Domestic dog

Domestic dog

Type	Domestic mammal; canid
Scientific name	Canis lupus familiaris
Texan regional name	Dog; doggo; pupper; pup; pooch; mutt; doge; good boy or good girl
Origin	Domesticated; introduced with people
Conservation status	Domestic resident; wildlife conservation status not applicable
Hazard	DOMESTIC USE CARE Individual temperament varies. Bites can cause major injury or infection, and loose dogs can create traffic, livestock, wildlife, and machinery hazards.

Proto-Town has at least three resident dogs. Dogs are part of the managed human community rather than local wildlife, but they interact with nearly every part of the site: people, vehicles, livestock, wild mammals, snakes, ticks, and shared indoor spaces. Identification, vaccination, owner contact information, and clear expectations about restricted work areas make those interactions safer for both dogs and people.

Encounter guidance: Do not assume an unfamiliar dog wants contact; let it approach with its owner’s permission and do not crowd a dog that is eating, sleeping, injured, restrained, or guarding something. After a bite, get to safety, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water, identify the animal and owner if possible, and obtain prompt medical or public-health advice about infection, tetanus, and rabies risk.

Domestic cat

Domestic cat

Type	Domestic mammal; felid
Scientific name	Felis catus
Texan regional name	Cat; house cat; kitty; kitty cat; catto; floof; loaf; void (especially a black cat); murder mittens
Origin	Domesticated; introduced with people
Conservation status	Domestic resident; wildlife conservation status not applicable
Hazard	DOMESTIC USE CARE Bites and deep scratches can become infected. Free-roaming cats face vehicles, predators, disease, and machinery and can kill native birds, reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals.

Proto-Town has at least one resident cat, Hugo, a tabby cat with fluffy fur. A well-fed cat still retains strong hunting behavior, so the distinction between a managed indoor or enclosed resident and a free-roaming cat matters to the surrounding wildlife guide. Current identification, rabies vaccination, owner contact information, and an indoor or secure outdoor arrangement protect the cat as well as native animals.

Encounter guidance: Allow the cat to choose contact and avoid grabbing a frightened, cornered, or injured animal. Wash bites and scratches promptly with soap and water and seek medical advice, particularly for a bite, a deep hand wound, spreading redness, swelling, fever, or uncertain rabies vaccination status.

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