Wildlife of Proto-Town/Animals

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

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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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.

Black vulture

Black vulture
Type	Bird; vulture
Scientific name	Coragyps atratus
Texan regional name	Black buzzard; black vulture
Origin	Native
Conservation status	Federally protected migratory bird; not federally endangered
Hazard	PAINFUL OR SIGNIFICANT DANGER Large flocking bird and significant bird-strike hazard to low-flying aircraft; groups can damage rubber, vinyl, and exposed equipment.

Black vultures are broad-winged black birds with short tails, bare gray heads, and white patches near the wingtips. They soar on thermals and gather around carcasses, roosts, dumpsters, and structures. Unlike turkey vultures, they rely heavily on sight and often travel in groups.

Encounter guidance: Do not feed, harass, trap, or kill protected birds without authorization. Around flight operations, report concentrations promptly, stop attractants such as exposed waste or carcasses, and follow the site’s wildlife-hazard procedure.

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
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
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 only about 8½ inches in shell length, so a genuinely enormous tortoise is more likely an escaped exotic pet. Caldwell County is north of the species’ commonly documented county range, making photographs and expert confirmation especially useful for a Lockhart sighting.

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.

African spurred tortoise

African spurred tortoise
Type	Reptile; tortoise
Scientific name	Centrochelys sulcata
Texan regional name	Sulcata; African spur-thighed tortoise
Origin	Introduced; captive escape or abandonment
Conservation status	Non-native; internationally threatened in the wild
Hazard	NUISANCE / USE CARE Very strong and potentially a road or equipment hazard; an adult may weigh well over 100 pounds. It is not native and must not be released.

Sulcatas are common in the pet trade and grow far larger than any native Texas tortoise, with thick spurred legs and a high tan-brown shell. Escaped animals can dig substantial burrows, push through weak fencing, and survive warm Central Texas conditions for some time. A “biiig tortoise” near Lockhart is therefore reasonably likely to be someone’s escaped or abandoned animal.

Encounter guidance: Keep it away from traffic without placing hands near the legs or beneath the shell. Photograph it, check locally for an owner, and contact animal control or a reptile rescue; do not transport or release it into natural habitat without direction.

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
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
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; different parts of the body may transition at different rates, and a regrown tail can differ in color or texture. Males display a pink throat fan called a dewlap and perform conspicuous push-ups to communicate.

Encounter guidance: No action is normally needed. Avoid grabbing the tail, which can detach as a defensive response, and let an indoor visitor leave through an open door or gently guide it into a container without squeezing it.

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
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
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 dog

Domestic dog
Type	Domestic mammal; canid
Scientific name	Canis lupus familiaris
Texan regional name	Dog
Origin	Domesticated; introduced with people
Conservation status	Domestic resident; wildlife conservation status not applicable
Hazard	NUISANCE / 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
Origin	Domesticated; introduced with people
Conservation status	Domestic resident; wildlife conservation status not applicable
Hazard	NUISANCE / 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. 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.

Sources

• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: nongame animals
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: wild pigs
• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: Venomous Terrestrial Animals of Texas
• FAA wildlife-hazard resources
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: rabbits and hares
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Texas tortoise
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: green anole
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: frogs and toads of Texas
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: amphibian rainfall, breeding, and calls
• Texas A&M Veterinary Medicine: protecting pets from toxic amphibians
• American Museum of Natural History: Eleutherodactylus campi taxonomy
• Caldwell County amphibian observations on iNaturalist
• CDC: rabies prevention and animal exposures
• CDC: infections after dog and cat bites
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: cats and wildlife