08/05/2026
Texas is home to more exotic mammal species than anywhere else in the United States. But how did they get here? Are they helping or harming our ecosystems? And what does the future hold?
Following their feature in the popular article Strange and Amazing Animals You Might Encounter on a Texas Road Trip, https://www.statesman.com/story/news/history/2024/09/09/texas-exotic-wildlife-animals-list-see-during-road-trip/74503760007/ by Michael Barnes, we sat down with Dr. David J. Schmidly and Dr. Robert D. Bradley to discuss the presence of exotic mammals across Texas, the science behind their management, and the role they play in conservation and private land stewardship.
Dr. David J. Schmidly is an internationally recognized mammalogist, author, and educator. He served as president of Texas Tech University, Oklahoma State University, and the University of New Mexico while making lasting contributions to the study of mammals in Texas, the southwestern United States, and Mexico. Through his extensive field research and numerous books and publications, Dr. Schmidly has advanced the science of mammalogy and inspired future generations of naturalists.
Dr. Robert D. Bradley has dedicated his career to advancing our understanding of mammalian evolution, genetics, and biodiversity. As Director Emeritus and Curator Emeritus of Mammals at the Natural Science Research Laboratory and Professor Emeritus at Texas Tech University, his research has shaped the fields of systematics, phylogenetics, and mammalian genomics.
They hope readers come away from Strange and Amazing Animals You Might Encounter on a Texas Road Trip by Michael Barnes with a sense of curiosity about the “majestic exotic animals found across Texas” and that these encounters inspire people to become better stewards of the land. Because exotic species are here to stay, we should take the opportunity to appreciate and learn about them.
