Alpine Wildlife Weekend 2025

Join us in Alpine, Texas January 31-February 2 for a weekend of activities, information and education on some of the most important and fascinating species in the state: BEARS, BATS & BIGHORN!


LEARN FROM OUR PARTNERS!

Programming will include experts from Borderlands Research Institute, Texas Parks & Wildlife, Bat Conservation International and the Texas Wildlife Association. Additional participation comes from Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute, Dixon Water Foundation, Big Bend Conservancy, Trans-Pecos Bird Conservation, Rio Grande Joint Venture and more.


WIN PRIZES!

Participate in the Wildlife Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win an America the Beautiful National Park Pass provided by the Big Bend Conservancy!

Saturday evening’s Keynote Event at Granada Theatre will feature great door prizes, including a Yeti cooler, tumblers and caps from Borderlands Research Institute, an America the Beautiful National Park Pass provided by the Big Bend Conservancy, an Associate membership in the Texas Wildlife Association, and bird-friendly chocolate from Rio Grande Joint Venture!


SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 31

Welcome Reception and Film Screening at the Museum of the Big Bend
Doors open at 6pm / Welcome at 6:15pm / Films start at 6:45pm

Meet the conservation partners working to protect Texas wildlife, and enjoy three short films:

“Second Chance” follows researchers at Borderlands Research Institute as they study, observe, and celebrate the incredible comeback of Black Bears to West Texas (view trailer).

“Batsies” follows passionate Texas State University wildlife biologists as they work against the clock to find a way to save bats, all while breaking barriers of their own (view trailer).

“Return of the Desert Bighorn” follows wildlife biologists as they capture, collar, and relocate desert bighorn to restore populations in West Texas (view trailer). 

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1

Guided Hikes on Hancock Hill
Hikes begin at 9:ooam and 2:00pm. Reservation required.

Join Dr. Ryan S. Luna on a moderately strenuous 1.8-mile hike on Hancock Hill (behind the Sul Ross State University campus). Dr. Luna will focus on mammals and quail, their habitat on the hill, how they use it and what they prefer. The group will also examine and ID any evidence of animal activity they encounter, such as tracks and scat. There will be two hikes, at 9:00am and 2:00pm.

All available spots in the 9:00am hike are now full. In-person-only reservations for the 2:00pm hike will be taken at the Welcome Reception Friday evening.

Bird Walk at Kokernot Park
The Bird Walk will start at 9:00am at Kokernot Municipal Park. Reservation required.

Join Dr. Maureen Frank to learn about birds of Alpine! We will start with some bird identification and binoculars basics to get everyone on the same page. We will practice these skills on some common species, and then take a walk through Kokernot Park, and you never know what we might find!

All available spots in the Bird Walk are now full.

Family Activities at Alpine Farmers Market
The Alpine Farmers Market is 9:00am to Noon at the Alpine Visitor Center.

Fun activities and educational displays, for ALL AGES from Texas Parks and Wildlife, Davis Mountains State Park, Trans-Pecos Bird Conservation, Big Bend Conservancy, Borderlands Research Institute, Sul Ross Biology, and more!

We will also have snacks – build your own trail mix! Plus our wonderful Farmers Market vendors!

Wildlife Scavenger Hunt
The Alpine Farmers Market is 9:00am to Noon at the Alpine Visitor Center. Complete the hunt by 5pm Saturday to be eligible to win!

Bats, bears, and bighorn are taking over Alpine this weekend – can you find them? Pick up a Wild Scavenger Hunt sheet at the Alpine Visitor Center, any Event Partner business, or Friday’s film showing and then start exploring! Completed sheets can be turned in at the Granada between 4:30pm and 5pm on Saturday to be entered into a drawing for an America the Beautiful National Park Pass provided by the Big Bend Conservancy!!

We also encourage posting pictures of your finds to social media with the hashtag #alpinetxwildlife to be entered into a second drawing, for a hummingbird feeder and hummingbird ID wheel provided by Trans-Pecos Bird Conservation.

Downtown Shops & Restaurants
These specials will be available during each business’s regular hours Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Explore local shops and restaurants in downtown Alpine, showcasing wildlife-themed eats, drinks, and treasures! Click here for full details and map to participating businesses.

Lunch and Learn at Granada Theatre
Lunch and Learn begins at Noon in the Granada Theatre. Be sure to place your food order with Alcove Social before 11:30 to ensure that you have your lunch before the talks begin!

Get a delicious lunch next door from Alcove Social (be sure to order early!) and enjoy a series of brief presentations from SRSU Graduate Research Assistants about ongoing wildlife projects at Borderlands Research Institute.

  • Shelby duPerier: Distribution of high-elevation owls in the Davis Mountains, Texas
  • Andrew Dotray: Movement behavior and competition of aoudad and mule deer following removal of aoudad
  • Eliana Dykehouse: Evaluate responses of plant and insect communities to various mowing regimes at Fort Davis National Historic Site to draw conclusions about the effects of mowing on local pollinators
  • Ty Goodwin: Evaluating the effects of grazing practices on forage production, nutrition diversity, and soil moisture in the Marfa Grasslands, Texas
  • Gray Hancock: Developing monitoring methods to assess the effectiveness of hydrology improvements to retain topsoil using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Hayley Shultz: Fine-scale habitat use and survival of scaled quail associated with seasons

Live drawing event at Front Street Books
The drawing session will begin at 1:00pm at Front Street Books. Arrive early to sign up for a drawing, only a limited number can be completed during the event!

2024 BBNP Artist in Residence Chris Ruggia will hold one of his popular sessions of 5-minute cartoon animal drawings. Sign up, select your favorite animal and watch it happen!

Keynote Presentations and Panel Discussion at Granada Theatre
Keynotes will begin at 5:00pm at Granada Theatre.

Enjoy happy hour libations from Alcove Social and learn the latest about our featured Wildlife Weekend animals: Bears, Bats and Bighorn!

  • History, ecology, and current research of the west Texas black bear population – Matthew Hewitt, PhD student at Texas Tech University (Borderlands Research Institute)

    Black bear photo by Matthew Hewitt
  • Habitat conservation for the Mexican long-nosed bat – Rachel Burke, Agave Restoration Coordinator for Bat Conservation International

    Rachel will talk about BCI’s work in promoting habitat conservation for the Mexican long-nosed bat across west Texas and their migratory corridor, and the ongoing research that informs this binational project. 

    Mexican long-nosed bat photo by Horizonline Pictures, Bat Conservation International
  • Franklin Mountains Desert Bighorn Restoration: The How, The Why, The What – Froylan Hernández, Texas Parks & Wildlife

    Desert bighorn photo by Cesar Mendez, FMSP Superintendent

Come on time and stay until the end for a chance to win fantastic door prize, including an America the Beautiful National Park Pass provided by the Big Bend Conservancy, an Associate membership in the Texas Wildlife Association, Borderlands Research Institute swag, and bird-friendly chocolate from Rio Grande Joint Venture!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2

Botanical Garden Guided Tour at Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center
The guided tour will begin at 10:00am starting from the Powell Visitor Center.

The Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center & Botanical Gardens will offer a ¾-mile, 1.5-hour tour of the Botanical Gardens led by Master Naturalist Warren Shaul. The tour will offer fascinating information about plants of the Trans Pecos region and their beneficial interaction with wildlife. Free admission. Contact events@cdri.org for more information. www.cdri.org

Animals, Art & Conservation: Wildlife Art Workshop at Alpine Public Library
The Wildlife Art Workshop will begin at 2:00pm in the multipurpose room of the Alpine Public Library.

This mini-workshop will offer hands-on demonstrations of drawing animals from Carol Fairlie, very well known in the region as a painter and art instructor at Sul Ross State University for many years.
2024 Big Bend National Park Artist in Residence Chris Ruggia will give a demonstration on characterization in drawing animals: how to add emotional energy in the body language and faces of the animals you draw.
The session will end with a panel discussion on painting wildlife and how art interacts with wildlife conservation when Fairlie and Ruggia will be joined by painter and retired conservation biologist Patricia Harveson.

The workshop is open to all ages, though the drawing exercises will likely be most appropriate for adults and teens. Younger children may find them difficult.
Paper and pencils will be provided while they last, but feel free to bring your own as well!

Ruggia is partnering with the Big Bend Conservancy on a fundraiser release of a limited edition of prints of a painting created during his BBNP art residency. Enter to win the first numbered print in the edition! The winner will be announced at the Wildlife Art Workshop.