Wildlife of Proto-Town/Animals
Wildlife guide: Overview · Plants · Fungi · Animals · Birds · Bugs · Microbial life
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 | |
|---|---|
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| 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 | |
|---|---|
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| |
| 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 | |
|---|---|
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| 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.