This is why wildlife is doomed in Texas

DALLAS (KDAF) — Texas has been ranked as the worst state for wildlife sustainability, according to a new study by Lake.com.

The study, which evaluated wildlife conditions across all 50 states using 15 different factors, gave Texas a score of 29.87 out of 100. Key factors included species diversity, endangered animal numbers, and air and water quality.

The study highlighted that Texas has a relatively high percentage of species at risk, with 10% of its species endangered. Additionally, only 2% of the state’s land is designated as wildlife land, contributing to its low ranking.

In contrast, northeastern states such as Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Jersey were found to be the best for wildlife sustainability.

The data for the study was sourced from reputable bodies, including the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Agriculture.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, wildlife populations have dropped by a shocking 73% over the past 50 years, underscoring the importance of sustainability efforts.

The findings of the study underscore the challenges Texas faces in wildlife conservation, highlighting the need for increased efforts to protect endangered species and expand wildlife land.

The worst five states for wildlife:

Rank	State	Index Score	Number of species per 100 square miles	Percentage of species at risk	Number of parks (per 100,000 people)	Percentage of rural parks and wildlife land	Percentage of forest-use land
1	Texas	29.87	2.40	10%	24.68	2%	8%
2	Oklahoma	36.60	5.27	5%	26.74	2%	16%
3	California	36.96	4.31	29%	31.27	20%	17%
4	Arizona	38.25	4.19	14%	29.63	10%	18%
5	New Mexico	40.93	3.78	10%	32.30	4%	17%

The best five states for wildlife:

Rank	State	Index Score	Number of species per 100 square miles	Percentage of species at risk	Number of parks (per 100,000 people)	Percentage of rural parks and wildlife land	Percentage of forest-use land
1	Vermont	71.83	24.67	3%	44.26	6%	73%
2	New Hampshire	66.93	25.99	3%	35.91	8%	73%
3	Maine	62.26	7.63	4%	34.23	2%	85%
4	Massachusetts	62.06	35.45	4%	34.89	12%	41%
5	New Jersey	61.40	41.09	4%	38.09	13%	21%

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by CW33. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by CW33 staff before being published.