Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, Texas has a wonderful Prairie Chicken Recovery program. I donated this sketch of a male during booming season to their recent fund-raiser, Bandanas, Boots, & Bison Concert Under the Stars. Click here to watch a male in "booming" action. It is pretty amazing!Here are a few words about the history of the Attwater's taken from Fossil Rim's website:
Less than a hundred years ago, one million Attwater's Prairie Chickens ranged over six million acres of coastal prairie in Texas and Southwestern Louisiana. Today, less than one-percent of the original coastal prairie remains. As development eradicated this fragile habitat, the native species followed. Today a mere 50 birds live in the wild.
In 1992, as part of a comprehensive recovery plan for the species, we initiated a captive breeding program at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center. This work has been crucial in preventing the Attwater's extinction.
Since 1992, Fossil Rim has contributed 60% of the total Attwater's into the wild.
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