A massive stretch of Texas Hill Country is officially becoming a new state park, and it’s set to be one of the biggest outdoor destinations in the entire state.

For the first time in 18 years, a brand new state park is set to open in Texas.

A peculiar problem is plaguing residents in northwest Harris County: pigs on the loose and they’re outsmarting attempts to catch them.

Neighbors in the Harvest Green subdivision of Richmond had quite a surprise on Sunday afternoon when an alligator crossed the street, holding up traffic.

A search operation is underway at Lake Conroe near the FM 1097 Bridge to locate a missing person.

A family vacation on Lake Conroe turned tragic when a 34-year-old man drowned in Adkins Creek.

In a post on Facebook, State Rep. Pat Curry said the bill he filed, HB 4938, was done so as a mechanism to bring TPWD to the table to discuss proposed regulations on the deer breeding industry in Texas.

HB 4938, if passed, would abolish the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission and transfer its functions to the General Land Office, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Public Safety.

Every so often, they come across some unusual things while in the process of doing their jobs. This past deer season was no exception.

Texas Parks and Wildlife has confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Harris County, primarily affecting waterfowl like Muscovy ducks, with reports of symptoms in raptors, owls, and bald eagles.

An alligator that was discovered in a Richmond subdivision has a new home in Montgomery County after days of it being tied to a tree.

Officials from the Brazoria County Parks spent the weekend cleaning tens of thousands of dead fish that washed ashore Quintana Beach County Park over the weekend.

Texas Parks and Wildlife said Monday that a fisherman on Lake Corpus Christi caught an alligator gar tipping the scales at more than 200 pounds.

Saltwater or freshwater, it’s all free on June 3.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials said Tuesday that a highly contagious and easily transmissible virus called Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI, had infected the first mammal in the state.

You’ve probably seen them at parks across Texas and the United States, and probably the world: rock cairns.

Planning a trip to Enchanted Rock? Make sure you know when it is open for business this fall and winter.

An “unwanted guest” is blocking the front doorstep of a north Harris County home Monday afternoon, Harris County Pct. 4 said.

A flamingo known as “Pink Floyd” that escaped from a Kansas zoo 17 years ago has been spotted in Texas.

Jacob Saldana, who says he’s a member of the Reel Hustlers team of fishermen, told KPRC 2 he caught this massive golden black drum along the Texas City Dike on Monday.

Applications are opening soon for those interested in becoming a Texas State Park Police Officer with Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Saturday, June 5 is Free Fishing Day in Texas. That means you can drop a line and fish in any public body of water for free. No fishing license is required.

Wanted to try your hand at fishing in Texas? Saturday is a good day, and you don’t need a license.

Park rangers at Padre Island National Seashore were greeted to an unusual visitor on the beach.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife are stocking thousands of catfish at 18 Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes, the department announced in a press release.

Are you looking for a family-friendly way to get outdoors this summer?

Following freezing temperatures experienced across Texas last week, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is receiving several reports of bat fatalities. Sharing an update on its Facebook page, the state agency warns Texans never to attempt to handle bats, dead or alive, as many colonies are being found frozen under overpasses throughout the state. According to the Houston Zoo’s bat specialist and naturalist Suzanne Jurek, Winter Storm Uri largely impacted bats as they had already used most of their fat reserves, leaving them vulnerable. Texas Parks and Wildlife is recording wildlife mortalities due to Winter Storm Uri. To help, the department says Texans can report their findings of dead bats to the iNaturalist project.

HOUSTON – 25 green sea turtles were given a second chance to live and released back to the Gulf thanks to animal care professionals from the Houston Zoo. Partnering with Texas A&M University-Galveston and Texas Parks and Wildlife, the zoo facilitated the rescue after last week’s winter storm, according to a news release. Last week, as Texas experienced unprecedented freezing conditions from Winter Storm Uri, 37 green sea turtles were rescued along the Texas coast. Working with our partners @AggiesByTheSea, the Houston Zoo's veterinary staff oversaw the care & treatment of these wild sea turtles. pic.twitter.com/DqoYsJwLcm — Houston Zoo (@houstonzoo) February 24, 2021Eleven of the turtles rescued continue to receive veterinary care from Houston Zoo and are not ready for release at this time, the news release said.

Here are some of the wildest reports from September 2020:Familiar FacesA Titus County game warden caught three men fishing on Lake Welsh without fishing licenses. The warden called for backup and a second Bexar County game warden came to assist in the search for the other trespasser. Axis DeniedAn Edwards County game warden and a Real County game warden had been investigating an individual for several weeks for hunting from a public roadway. Upon further investigation, the game wardens found both groups in possession of multiple game fish including bass and crappie. Shrimpin' Ain’t EasyA Calhoun County game warden was patrolling Matagorda Bay in the early morning hours when he saw numerous commercial shrimp boats traveling into the bay.

HOUSTON – Watch your step the next time you’re at Memorial Park. Visitor Christian Seehausen is giving Houstonians the heads up about a rare venomous snake spotted near the trails. Seehausen shared a picture in a Reddit post, writing “this was just a foot or two off the trail, right next to a bench on the Inner Loop trail near the Nature Center.”Coral snake spotted at Memorial Park. “But still, be careful out there.”[RELATED: Venomous snakes in Texas you need to know about]According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, coral snakes are one of four kinds of venomous species in Texas and are shy and rarely seen. The snake can be identified by its small mouth and red, yellow, and black ordered stripesAccording to Texas Parks and Wildlife, coral snakes are usually not aggressive and though its bites are dangerous, they are rare.

Balmorhea State Park, where a spring-fed swimming pool sparkles against a prickly desert backdrop, is set to expand to nearly seven times its current size. The popular West Texas park, where swimmers and scuba divers glide through clouds of fish, will add 643 acres to the existing 108 acres, Texas Parks and Wildlife officials announced this week. After leaving the pool, water from the springs empties into two man-made cienegas, or desert marshes, where visitors can observe wildlife. Balmorhea is such a unique park, said Stephanie Salinas-Garcia, a spokesperson for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Its a wonderful gateway into that West Texas landscape and shows the beauty of the area.

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, there are four kinds of venomous snakes in Texas.

Two Harris County game wardens were searching the web when they saw a restaurant advertising shark’s fin and shredded chicken soup on their menu. Shortly after, the second warden found another piece of shark’s fin wrapped in cellophane in a near-by freezer. The warden then picked up a menu off a nearby table and pointed to the soup section which listed sharks fin soup for sale. All sharks fin was seized, and charges are being filed with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. When the warden asked if he had a fishing license, the man said he didn’t need one because he wasn’t fishing.

SAN ANTONIO – Dozens of Texans reeled in large hauls in 2019 — a year that Texas Parks and Wildlife called “great” for fishing. Fishermen and women broke 47 new state fishing records in Texas this year, according to TPWD. For individual lakes, rivers or bays, 434 waterbody records were broken. 200-plus-pound fish swim in Texas rivers, some over 50 years oldFishermen and women must measure and weigh their catch, take several photos and complete the application. “We are happy to recognize great catches even when they may not have set a new record.”Here’s a list of fishing records broken in 2019, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife.

HOUSTON – According to Texas Parks and Wildlife officials black bear sightings tend to increase in the fall as the animals prepare for hibernation. Still, state officials say confirmed sightings of black bears on public land remain rare. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife there have been 61 Black Bear sightings in 14 counties over the last two years. Evans said Black Bears may be making a come back in Texas. Evans said there have been no major issues with bears in Texas over the last five years.