Wildlife in the West Texas Community of Sierra la Rana

he Big Bend Region is home to more than 450 species of birds and more than 70 amphibian and reptile species coexisting with mule deer, javelina (wild hogs), and hundreds of other species of mammals, large and small. In addition to hosting this multitude of usual species, Big Bend is one of those rare environments where the collision of landscapes has also created a truly unique ecosystem, another world within our own.

The extreme climate and geographic isolation of the area, as well as the unusual combination of craggy mountain, arid desert, and muddy river habitats have also fostered the development of a variety of one-of-a-kind species, some of which can be found no other place on earth. The Colima warbler, the greater long-nosed bat, and the Sierra del Carmen Mountains white-tailed deer are generally not found north of Mexico; the endangered Big Bend mosquito fish lives only here.

Sightings of mountain lion and black bear are always a possibility, as well. Rich in evolutionary history and full of surprising oddities, Big Bend is a must-see for anyone with a love of wildlife.

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