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Wild Things: Texas SymbolsEverybody knows the bluebonnet is the state flower, but what is the state sea shell? The state reptile? The state flying mammal?
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- Texas Parks and Wildlife
Let's go on a Texas Wildlife Tour for Kids to learn about animals with Cowboy Jack! We're at the Houston Museum of Natural Science going through the Farish ...
- 17 min
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- Cowboy Jack
Fun Facts for Kids The Mexican free-tailed bat is the official flying mammal of the state of Texas. The tails of Mexican free-tailed bats are almost half their total length and stretch beyond the uropatagium (a structure that assists an animal in gliding or flight); this gives them the name "free-tailed" bats.
- Texas Small State Mammal: Armadillo
- Texas State Bird: Northern Mockingbird
- Texas Large State Mammal: Texas Longhorn
- Texas Flying State Mammal: Mexican Free-Tailed Bat
- Texas State Dog: Blue Lacy
- Texas State Reptile: Texas Horned Lizard
- Texas State Insect: Monarch Butterfly
- Texas State Fish: Guadalupe Bass
- Frequently Asked Questions About Texas State Animals
The nine-banded armadillo was selected as the small state mammal as an animal that “possesses many remarkable and unique traits, some of which parallel the attributes that distinguish a true Texan, such as a deep respect and need for the land, the ability to change and adapt, and a fierce undying love for freedom.” The nine-banded armadillo is the ...
The Mockingbird’s origin story starts in 1920 when the General Federation of Women’s Clubs hatched the idea for each state to have a bird mascot. The Texas Federation of Women’s Club quickly caught on and nominated the Mockingbird to represent Texas. This nomination was extremely popular and the Texas State legislature noted that the mockingbird wa...
In 1995, the Texas Longhorn was signed into law as Texas’s large state mammal by then-Governor George W. Bush. The largest mammal in Texas, Longhorns are descendants of the cattle first introduced to North America by Columbus in 1493. Known for its ability to swim rivers, survive the desert sun and winter snow, and travel many distances without wat...
On May 25, 1995, the Mexican Free-Tailed Bat was adopted as the Texas state flying mammal. The intelligent and unique mammal lives in caves in the southern US and Central and South America. 20 miles from downtown San Antonio hosts the largest concentration of these bats in the world in an area known as Bracken cave. An estimated 20 million bats roo...
On June 18, 2005, the Blue Lacy was officially adopted as the Texas State Dog. The Blue Lacy’s origins began in 1858 when brothers George, Ewin, Frank, and Harry Lacy created the species with a greyhound, scenthound, and a coyote. The resulting creation had a blue-gray coat and consequently picked up the name “Blue Lacy.” Although all dogs carry th...
In 1993, The Texas Horned Lizard was adopted as the Texas state reptile. Also known as the horned toad, horned frog, and horny toad, the species can be found in arid open areas with sparse plant cover. The lizard mostly eats insects such as beetles, spiders, grasshoppers, and ants and is famous for inflating its body to frighten enemies. In 1967, t...
In 1993, the Monarch Butterfly was adopted as the Texas state insect. Texas plays a vital role in the life cycle of the monarch butterfly due to its location. In the winter, the butterflies hibernate in the mountain of Mexico until spring when they migrate to Canada. During their journey, they lay their eggs in Texas and in other southern states. I...
In 1989, the Guadalupe Bass was adopted as the Texas state fish. Known for its hard-fighting spirit and popular among fly fishers, the Guadalupe Bass industry has boomed in Central Texas, bringing in $70 million dollars annually. The fish is exclusive to Texas and is reliant on fast-running streams and small rivers to hunt prey (insects and small f...
What is the Texas Official State Animal?
While there are 8 state animals for Texas, the Longhorn is the Texas state animal that best represents Texas and therefore is our choice for the Texas state animal. Officially, the Longhorn is the Texas large mammal and the armadillo is Texas small mammal.
What is the Texas State Animal and Bird?
The Longhorn is the Texas state animal and the Mockingbirdis the Texas state bird. Since there are 8 state animals in Texas some might claim that
Why does Texas have two state Mammals?
In June of 1995, hundreds of elementary school children voted for the Texas state mammal in a mock election. Because the results were a dead tie between the armadillo and the longhorn, legislators decided to create a small state mammal and a large state mammal. Then-Governor George W. Bush signed the them into Law as the large and small state mammals later that year.
Oct 15, 2024 · The nine-banded armadillo is the official state small mammal of Texas. Texas is the only state with a native population of ocelots, a small, spotted wild cat. The Mexican free-tailed bat is the state flying mammal and can be seen in large colonies. Texas is home to the pronghorn, the second-fastest land animal in North America.
Texas, known for the world’s biggest bat colony in Bracken Cave, declared the Mexican free-tailed bat as the state’s Flying Mammal on May 25, 1995. They emphasized how bats help maintain a healthy environment by eating large quantities of insects, such as mosquitos and crop pests.
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Down on the ranch, you’ll find the formidable Texas Longhorn, the state’s largest mammal, an icon of tenacity and survival. The American Quarter Horse: Texas’s riding best friend since 2009. The Mexican Free-Tailed Bat has been the flying mammal symbol since 1995. The Texas Longhorn: The large mammal symbol, a testimony to survival since ...
