Here is the tiniest sample of some of the amazing creatures that have been spotted in the Alamo City.
Let’s start with the unexpected. I’ve seen so many different animals in town that I try hard not to be too surprised when I see a new creature or learn about a population that’s been in the city as long, or longer, than I have, but this one caught me off guard. While it is known that San Antonio doesn’t have particularly cold winters, we are certainly not considered tropical, so you may be as surprised as I was to learn about several flocks of bright green Monk Parakeets living in the city. These non-native birds have taken up residence in a few neighborhoods across town. Even more unexpected are sightings of lone peacocks and peacock families. Imagine seeing a peacock and all his feathers walking down the street in your neighborhood! These now established populations were likely the result of released pets.
The next creature totally had me fooled. The first time I saw one of these fluffy rodents swimming through a creek, I hoped I had just spotted a beaver but, sadly it was a non-tree chomping, non-dam building Nutria. Really a giant rat, these orange-toothed creatures are not my favorite invasive population that can be found here. Nutria often live near creeks and are very comfortable in the water, but as much as they look like a beaver with a tiny tail from afar, I think I’ll keep my distance.
Another (and much more adorable) creature that snuck onto this list is one that I personally have not ever seen in the city limits other than at the zoo, but I was lucky enough to see its fluffy striped tail hanging out of a hollow tree branch in Spring Branch a few years ago. Ring Tailed Cats are very elusive creatures of the night and are rarely spotted. Their striped tails often lead to a mistaken identity with raccoons, but these small raccoon relatives are truly unique. Sometimes called a Civet Cat, these little guys look like a mix between a squirrel, fox, cat, raccoon and lemur. If you are lucky enough to see one of these clever creatures up in a tree, count yourself as one of the special few!
From what I know, San Antonio has a lot of opportunities to see beautiful and interesting birds because of our unique location in migration patterns, so it’s not surprising that a couple birds hopped onto the list. The San Antonio Audubon Society has great resources that allow you to explore at which parks you are most likely to spot different species of birds around San Antonio. Two of my favorite birds to catch glimpses of around town are Scissor-tailed Flycatchers and Painted Buntings. I love seeing these two species in particular because these unique looking birds are easy to identify from their striking features. The long tail feathers of the Scissor Tails make them my favorite aerial acrobats to watch as they dip and swoop in the tightest of turns to catch bugs, and the colors of Painting Buntings are like no other bird around, with their striking blues, greens, and reds.
The next creature is one I’d love to see here in terms of thriving ecosystems and biodiversity, but I am not too sure I want to see one of these ever again. The next creatures crawling onto the list are the creepy crawly Texas Giant Red-Headed Centipede or Giant Desert Centipede. These gnarly looking bugs scare me more than flying cockroaches and scorpions… combined, but are actually pretty cool bugs. They are huge, I’m talking 6-8 inches long, and though they look scary, they are really just looking for a buggy snack.
Technically you have the opportunity to run into and all kinds of crazy animals here in San Antonio. From sightings of released pets and non-native species like giant Apple Snails (yep, they’re the size of an apple) and terrifying looking armor plated catfish called Vermiculated Sailfin Catfish to rare animals that seem to be considering expanding their territory to include San Antonio like feral hogs, bobcats and alligators. There are a lot of creatures that seem to enjoy life deep in the heart of Texas as much as we do. I guess we’re just going to have to test our southern hospitality and figure out a way to live with these little guys.
