Texas Wildlife Science

Wildlife depends on habitat!

Conserving wildlife isn’t just a matter of saving animals; it means saving the places they live—their habitats. Habitat is the natural environment that provides all the essential elements a species needs. Because each species’ needs differ, habitats differ for different types of animals. For example, thrashers and woodpeckers are both birds found in forests. Thrashers require thick, brushy habitat near the forest floor, while most woodpeckers use dead trunks that emerge in open forest layers. Sometimes habitat differs depending on the sex of the animal. Female Cagle’s map turtles spend most of their time in quiet pools in rivers, while males spend more time in riffles and transition areas. Understanding habitat and how to create it is a critical component of wildlife science.