Fish and Amphibians

If you grew up in Texas in the 70's then you probably remember these cute little Horned toads. They were common, but now the Texas horned lizard is one of more than 1,300  species of concern in the  state. There is some good news as the state has been trying to raise the population of these sweet little lizzards. A coalition of zoos and wildlife scientists recently released 204 captive-raised hatchlings into the wild (100 of them hatched at the Fort Worth Zoo). The cool thing is that new evidence is showing that previously released lizards are now reproducing. According to a press release from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department there is a landmark bipartisan proposal now moving through Congress, the  Recovering America's Wildlife Act , would bring the resources needed to save this species and hundreds like it. It Looks Like Babies From 2019 Are Reproducing in the Wild Last month TPWD biologists and graduate students found 18 hatchlings t...

Dave's Hot Chicken. Dave's Hot Chicken/Instagram Wildly popular Dave's Hot Chicken just opened at Sahara Avenue cross Fort Apache Road from Village Square in July, and already the Nashville hot chicken specialist plans to open a second location, this time at the Grand Bazaar Shops. The restaurant takes over the former home of Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken at the outdoor mall in front of Bally's. Dave's offers hot chicken tenders and sliders, along with sides of house-made kale slaw, creamy mac n' cheese, and crispy French fries. Dave's offers seven various spice levels ranging from No Spice to Reaper, which requires a signed waiver for those who dare. Each heat level uses a different spice blend. Look for an opening at the end of the first quarter 2022. Oming's Kitchen plots a second location ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Nature Note: Black Swallowtail Butterfly    Tulsa World

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) — The two-day 53rd Maryland Seafood Festival concludes Sunday at Annapolis' Sandy Point State Park. The tradition features the 30th annual Crab Soup Cook-off, music, exhibits, crafts and of course, seafood. READ MORE: Maryland Residents Starting To Get Booster Shots After CDC Announcement That said, only a limited number of steamed crabs will be available onsite from Jimmy's Famous Seafood for those who did not preorder. Prices for crabs will be higher this year than previously due to the limited availability of crabs and crab meat, festival organizers said. READ MORE: COVID-19 In Maryland: More Than 1.1K New Cases & 15 Deaths Reported Sunday Festival organizers this year have partnered with the Annapolis Social League to bring sporting tournaments, including beach volleyball, beach soccer, KamJam, spikeball, corn hole and kickball, to the event. A portion of the proceeds goes to local nonprofit organizations. Tickets are available online and...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Sightings are down but horned lizards still make themselves at home in Tucson    Arizona Daily Star

[unable to retrieve full-text content] White-tailed deer test positive in Clearwater Region for EHD    KLEW

Chula King  |  Guest columnist Shrimp and Smoked Gouda Grits Bites are a bite-sized version of two of the South's favorite foods — shrimp and grits. Succulent shrimp are mounted on top of Smoked Gouda Grits rounds for a perfect appetizer. Wow your family and friends with these delicious treats. Recipe: The party app: Nibbling season is here with crunchy Tasty Taco Cups | King Snacks: Game day snacks are winners no matter the score | Rigsby The Grits Generally, when I make grits, I use quick grits. For this appetizer, I decided to use stone-ground grits. Stone-ground grits are made from whole dried corn kernels that have been coarsely ground between the two stones of a grist mill. Because the entire kernel is ground, including the germ, stone-ground grits often have a speckled appearance. Also, stone-ground grits have more of a corn flavor. Quick grits on the other hand are made from dried hominy where the hull and germ have been removed. Quick grits are ground f...