The payoffs in conservation grants from the Great Texas Birding Classic will mean an extra $5,000 for the Valley Zoological Society at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville.
The Great Texas Birding Classic consists of teams which have been forming for 25 years to watch and listen for as many species of birds as possible. Funds raised through the contest for conservation projects have now topped $1 million.
“As the tournament continues to grow, we look forward to donating even more towards habitat conservation projects in Texas,” said Shelly Plante, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department nature tourism manager. “It’s thrilling to see so many families, kids and friends connect with nature through the event.”
This year, team registrations and sponsorships to the month-long, 191-team tournament made it possible for the GTBC to award $44,000 in conservation grants to on-the-ground habitat acquisition, restoration and enhancement projects.
The Great Texas Birding Classic this year experienced 60 percent increase in the number of participants and a 38 percent growth in the number of registered teams. Records were broken for the number of Big Sit! and Sunrise to Noon teams.
In all, 421 bird species were identified during the tournament by more than 1,000 participating birdwatchers throughout the state.
