In Texas, it is illegal to own a Texas Tortoise, a state-listed threatened species. Lake Casa Blanca International State Park is inviting residents to surrender these hard-shelled reptiles without penalty.
Lake Casa Blanca International State Park recently announced a partnership with Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi to safely release the animals into the wild. The turn-in event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Laredo College’s Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental Science Center.
Texas Tortoises, also known as Gopherus berlandieri, were listed as a threatened species in 1977 due to habitat loss, collection for the pet trade, roadway fatalities, predation and a low reproductive rate. They are native to southern Texas and northern Mexican states such as Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas. They are the only tortoise species native to Texas…