Month: May 2011

Tax Reduction for Water Conservation

As the temperature rises and the soil gets drier, water conservation is front and center. In fact, the Texas House approved a plan would offer land owners across the state property tax reductions for habitat management related to water conservation. The plan offers property tax reductions for landowners who set aside open-space habitat for water conversation. And the plan is quite progressive with more-productive conservation efforts receiving greater tax breaks.

Supporters of the water management initiative said the tax reductions would encourage groundwater conservation without forcing Texas government to hand out even more money. It is estimated that 90 percent of Texas water flows either through or under privately owned land, so it will take private landowners to get the job done. One of the best ways to get people involved is conservation initiatives is to make if monetarily worth their while. Continue reading Tax Reduction for Water Conservation

Mountain Lion in El Paso

Interesting wildlife news this week includes a male mountain lion weighing 102 pounds was shot and killed in El Paso, Texas. The lion was spotted around the city and then entering the parking garage of a state office building at 401 E. Franklin, where Texas State Game Wardens have their offices, along with several other government agencies. Officials shot the mountain lion with a tranquilizer dart, but it jumped from the second floor of the garage back onto the street before the drugs took effect.

Mountain Lion in El Paso

The mountain lion passed through a school yard and then ran to a car wash where officers evacuated several customers and lowered the business’s security gate to trap the mountain lion. The lion was darted a second time, but immediately began to run again. The mountain lion took off and hit a fence, and was about to escape the perimeter fence, so officers shot and killed the mountain lion. Continue reading Mountain Lion in El Paso

Do Armadillos Carry Leprosy?

Armadillos are a different animal and a really odd mammal. For most people, armadillos pose no major problem. However, sometimes they can be a major nuisance in suburban and agricultural areas when they dig up the place looking for grubs and insects. Though many people want to know how to rid themselves of these troublesome armadillos just to save their yards or gardens, many are still asking the question, “Do armadillos carry leprosy?” Research has found that, yes, humans can very rarely get leoprosy from touching armadillos, but it’s not the only way.

Source: “Only about 150 leprosy cases occur each year in the U.S., mostly among travelers to places like India, Brazil and Angola where it’s more common. The risk of getting leprosy from an armadillo is low because most people who get exposed don’t get sick with the ancient scourge, known medically as Hansen’s disease and now easily treatable. Armadillos are one of the very few mammals that harbor the bacteria that cause the sometimes disfiguring disease, which first shows up as an unusual lumpy skin lesion. Continue reading Do Armadillos Carry Leprosy?