It's just gotten harder to find them since the state began drying up. A far-reaching drought is being blamed for diminishing wildlife populations, and officials caution there could be trouble ahead if conditions don't improve in the coming months. The Pronghorn antelope population in West Texas is at an 18-year low. At Big Bend National Park, the endangered peregrine falcon has shown a steady decline, and black bears are scrounging around humans for food. Lack of adequate moisture can reduce reproduction, make animals vulnerable to predators and even result in starvation, but wildlife biologists agree many species can eventually rebound, if the dry spell doesn't last too long.
Some situations are already critical, however.
By official count, the state only has 14 breeding pairs of peregrine falcons, and for three years now, they have been producing fewer offspring that survive. Last year, only three birds left the nest. I won't say it's catastrophic, but it's very near if they can't produce better. Bears get bolder Big Bend's bear population doesn't seem to be immediately threatened but a scarcity of food is bringing them into conflict with campers. We run the risk of humans being injured, property being damaged.