The Aransas National Wildlife Refuge will present family interpretive nature programs on all Saturdays, from 12:00 to 12:45 p.m., throughout the months of January, February and March for the general public. These free programs will range from alligator and whooping cranes to red tide and night sky presentations. All programs are led by Texas Master Naturalists, wildlife professionals, and other leaders in the natural resources fields.

For January we will have these programs:

January 14 – Alligators of Aransas. Norm Hirsch (Texas Master Naturalist) will present the natural history of one of our most famous denizens at the refuge. Learn more about our toothy, scaly predators of the Aransas with this fascinating program.

January 21 – Texas Toxic Coastal Critters. Ever wondered about the red tide and other little “beasties” found in our waters? Meredith Byrd (Texas Parks and Wildlife) will help to provide an understanding of a form of life we may not know much about, but affects us daily.

January 28 – Attwater’s Prairie Chickens: Past, Present and Future. At one time, the Attwater’s Prairie Chicken was a common bird of the prairies of Aransas. Today the bird can no longer be found at the refuge. Learn more about this amazing creature and where it still survives with this program by Ferris Calderon, assistant refuge manager at Attwater’s Prairie Chicken NWR.

In addition, free 2 hour van tours of the refuge take place at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday at Aransas. Please join us for these exciting programs with your family and friends at one of the great National Wildlife Refuges in our country.

For more information, please contact park ranger David True or other staff at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge at 361-286-3559 or email david_true@fws.gov between 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Thank you and hope to see you here.