Behind the Scenes

Fossil Rim started the Attwater prairie chicken breeding trial in 1995. They initially released prairie chickens to see how they adapted to a new environment and also to see what they should improve to increase the chick’s chances of survival.

Fossil Rim and other establishments have released between 3,000 to 5,000 prairie chickens since the time they started. They release them at two different locations, Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge is the main one. The second is a private ranch in Goliad County, TX. Sadly, only about 20% of prairie chickens survive in these lands but compared to other places that release prairie chickens into the wild these are very good odds. The staff at Fossil Rim work all hours to try and improve their chances in the wild.

Image by TripAdvisor