This exceptional, history-making drought in Texas is causing massive pressure on critters.

There’s a muscovy duck that laid her eggs in our bushes. Two days ago they finally hatched and we now have 14 ducklings, which seem to be doing fine. However hopeful I am of their survival to adulthood, I’m not expecting it. They have decent shelter, they will have water and food, but it’s predators that I’m betting will reduce their numbers. There just isn’t much food around, and ducklings are food.

The other morning I saw a doe in the backyard that I’ve never seen before, distinctive by the fact her face was much blacker than any whitetail I’ve ever seen. I’m sure she’s from around these parts, but pushing further than her normal range in search of food. The greenbelt no longer has the natural food supply because there’s no rain, and the heat’s drying everything up.

Over the past some months we’ve had stories of feral hogs coming into neighborhoods, tearing up lawns. Not surprising because they’re just trying to find food and water. But these reports have usually been from neighborhoods on the outskirts of town.

Now we’re getting reports of coyotes coming into town, going after pets. Hey, they’re pets to us, food to a yote.

And now, there’s news reports of a bison on the loose.

Yes, a bison. This is actually in my general area and depending where he travels it’s possible I could look out the back of my house some morning and see him. I hope they’re able to catch him, but I reckon it’ll be tough because he too he going to keep pressing on as much and as hard as he can in search of food and water.

Something’s gotta give…. *sigh*