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Padre Island National Seashore

Camouflaged ghost crab, Padre Island National Seashore

Ghost crabs (aka sand crabs) are excellent at camouflaging themselves to blend in with the sandy shoreline and dunes at Padre Island National Seashore. If you are out on the beach at night or during the pre-dawn hours, your flashlight might stop one of these fast little crustaceans long enough for a quick photo before it skitters away at a speed of up to 10 mph.

Rebecca Latson
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Photography In The National Parks: My Favorite Spots For Great Photos

Photographer Rebecca Latson has visited quite a few national parks since she started contributing to the Traveler, and she's got favorite spots for great photos within each park. In this final article for 2019, Rebecca wants to share some of those favorite spots with you while explaining why they are favorites for her and her cameras.

A stormy day over a prairie grass landscape at Padre Island National Seashore

Padre Island National Seashore is more than just the "longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world."  You can also find wide stretches of prairie grasslands, emjoy premier bird watching, and watch scheduled morning releases of Kemp's ridley sea turtle hatchlings into the Gulf of Mexico.

Rebecca Latson
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UPDATED | Trump Administration Moves To Weaken Endangered Species Act, Species In National Parks Could Suffer

In the wake of a report stating that nearly 30,000 species worldwide are at risk of going extinct, the Trump administration on Monday announced changes to the Endangered Species Act that opponents warned would weaken protections for species in danger of being lost. U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, calling the changes an "evisceration of environmental protections," said Congress needs to "consider stopping these regulations by any means."

Trump Administration Moves To Weaken Endangered Species Act, Species In National Parks Could Suffer

In the wake of a report stating that nearly 30,000 species worldwide are at risk of going extinct, the Trump administration on Monday announced changes to the Endangered Species Act that opponents warned would weaken protections for species in danger of being lost.

Heading out to the Gulf of Mexico at Padre Island National Seashore

From mid-June through August, you can attend a public release of Kemp's ridley sea turtle hatchlings at Malaquite Beach, in front of the Visitor Center. These public releases are held at 6:45 a.m. and the National Park Service website for Padre Island National Seashore, Texas, has a page dedicated to information about sea turtles and hatchling releases https://www.nps.gov/pais/learn/nature/hatchlingreleases.htm

Rebecca Latson
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Proposed Changes To Endangered Species Act Would Impact National Parks And Their Wild Kingdoms

Rule changes the Trump administration is proposing for the Endangered Species Act, though not expected to directly impact species inside the National Park System, would have indirect impacts that could jeopardize plant and animal species and in the long-run could affect visitors' experiences, according to experts well versed in how the act functions.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.