Higher Calling Wildlife

Watch my latest in-depth video on this topic here.

Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.

Sharks

They’re Wrong About The “Most Dangerous Shark”

March 22, 2026 Chester Moore Leave a comment

Bull sharks have a reputation as one of the most dangerous sharks in the world.

But what if they’ve been blamed for attacks they didn’t commit?

In this video, we take a closer look at shark attacks that were quickly labeled as “bull shark incidents” — and uncover the possibility that other shark species may have been responsible.

And some of them you have probably never heard of.

From mysterious encounters in murky waters to cases where identification was never confirmed, this story challenges what we think we know about shark behavior, risk, and responsibility.

Are bull sharks truly the main threat… or have they been unfairly blamed for many attacks?

Chester Moore

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Mysterious Wildlife

Hyenas in the Wild in America?

March 10, 2026 Chester Moore Leave a comment

A story published on Louisiana Sportsman about a decade agocaused quite a stir within the wildlife community. It described both “chupacabra” sightings and that of what some described as hyenas.

The article, accompanied by an unusual game camera photograph, details a series of strange sightings reported across the state—encounters that some readers have linked to the legendary “chupacabra.”

For those unfamiliar with the term, “chupacabra,” which translates to “goat sucker,” refers to an alleged but scientifically unverified creature said to drain the blood from goats and other animals. Reports of the creature have circulated for decades, particularly in the southern United States and parts of Latin America.

Check out my lengthy assessment of alleged chupacabras.

While the photograph featured in the story does appear unusual at first glance, the article itself explains that the animal is not a mythical creature but a coyote suffering from mange. When animals lose their hair due to disease, their appearance can become dramatically altered. Over the years, I have seen numerous photographs of coyotes and foxes with mange that were incorrectly identified as chupacabras.

Although I have a lifelong interest in mysterious wildlife and believe that some unexplained creatures reported over the centuries may eventually be verified by science, I do not believe the chupacabra is one of them. Reports of chupacabra sightings only began appearing in the 1990s. By contrast, creatures such as sea serpents have been reported for centuries. Any animal allegedly as widespread as the chupacabra—from Puerto Rico to Texas—would have a much longer and more consistent history of sightings, even if known by different names.

Mangy canines are something most people rarely see, but that is changing. With game cameras now set across the landscape and the widespread use of cell phone cameras, more of these animals are being documented than ever before. As a result, images of mangy coyotes and foxes often generate media attention and public speculation.

Since the Louisiana Sportsman story appeared, I have read several interesting online comments. One hunter claimed that on two occasions he had seen animals resembling hyenas in East Texas. That immediately caught my attention, as someone once told me they had seen two “hyenas” in the Hill Country several years ago.

The usual explanation for such sightings is escaped exotic pets, but in reality, hyenas are not kept as private pets. While they exist in zoos, those facilities are well maintained, and the likelihood of multiple escapes occurring across different regions over several years is extremely low.

At a distance, a mangy coyote can indeed resemble a hyena. Though smaller in size, the posture, coloration, and lack of fur can create that illusion, especially in low light or brief encounters.

However, there are now captive hyenas in private hands at several locations in Texas. A viewer of my YouTube channel claims to have seen one road-killed in the same area he saw a road-killed warthog.

Could there be a few hyenas running around out there? It’s possible.

People who spend significant time outdoors occasionally experience strange or confusing encounters. With modern technology, those experiences are now shared widely and instantly, often fueling speculation before scientific explanations are considered.

One of the things I enjoy most about spending time in the woods is wondering what might exist just beyond the treeline.

The day I stop being intrigued by the mysteries of nature will be the day I find another pursuit in life. Fortunately, that day does not appear to be coming anytime soon. There is always something unusual, strange, or mysterious left to investigate—and perhaps even encounter.

Chester Moore

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Garfish

Bad Reputation: The Truth About Alligator Garfish

March 3, 2026 Chester Moore Leave a comment

For decades, the alligator garfish has carried a reputation as a dangerous predator—one rumored to attack humans and decimate game fish populations, especially largemouth bass.

An article by garfish expert Keith Sutton recounts a report from the May 7, 1884 edition of the Arkansas Gazette, which described a boy named Perry being pulled overboard when a garfish bit his leg as it dangled from a boat on Shoal Creek in Logan County. Though his companions rescued him, the boy suffered severe injuries.

I also came across a reference to a 1922 article in the New Orleans Times-Picayune that went so far as to claim garfish were “more dangerous to humans than sharks.”

At the time, it was common for people to toss table scraps into the water around boat docks. Garfish became accustomed to this easy food source, and it’s likely that many of the so-called “attacks” occurred when people placed their feet in the water near feeding fish. These incidents were not acts of aggression but cases of mistaken identity. In fact, there are no verified human attacks by garfish in modern times.

The belief that garfish destroy game fish populations is just as unfounded. In 1987, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department biologist Paul Seidensticker conducted a study titled Food Selection of Alligator Gar and Longnose Gar in a Texas Reservoir at Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Using jug lines and gillnets, Seidensticker and his team collected 209 alligator gar between September and October, ranging from 18 to 156 pounds. Most had empty stomachs.

Among those that had eaten, gizzard shad made up the largest portion of the diet at 26.4 percent. Channel catfish accounted for 14.9 percent, followed by freshwater drum at 12.6 percent and bluegill at 7.9 percent. Largemouth bass comprised only 3.4 percent of the diet—hardly the devastation often claimed. Other unusual items found included two coots, several fishhooks, an artificial lure, and even a plastic bag.

“Gar really are outcasts that are misunderstood,” said Craig Springer of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “They have unlimited potential as sportfish but have unfortunately suffered in the court of public opinion.”

That misunderstanding once fueled gar-killing tournaments designed to “save” game fish populations. Author Smokey Crabtree frequently won these events by fishing the Sulphur River bottoms in Arkansas.

“We’d catch them six and seven feet long and stack them like cordwood,” Crabtree recalled. “It was a sight to behold.”

Crabtree used jug lines baited with live carp weighing two to five pounds and sometimes landed gar exceeding 200 pounds.

Today, the greatest pressure on garfish comes from commercial fishing and bowfishing. Choke Canyon Reservoir near George West was once renowned for its alligator gar population, but harvest encouragement following impoundment led to a dramatic decline. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department acknowledged this in its own lake profile, noting that the number of large alligator gar is now low due to commercial harvest.

While the official status of alligator gar in Texas remains uncertain, longtime anglers have witnessed sharp declines in many waters that once held abundant populations. Channelization and reservoir construction have contributed to an overall reduction in numbers—an issue now recognized even at the federal level.

Recent regulations have helped conserve this remarkable species. Texas remains the last state with a viable trophy alligator gar fishery, and careful management will determine whether future generations get the same opportunities.

I still remember the excitement surrounding “Big John,” the legendary alligator gar said to live in a local gully. When I was in elementary school, some high school boys devised a plan involving a nylon rope tied to a truck, baited with a whole chicken on a shark hook beneath a jug. When the jug went under, they’d start the engine and haul the fish ashore.

To us kids, it was the most brilliant idea imaginable.

The only catch was that the plan unfolded on property belonging to the high school agriculture department, off-limits to anyone else. We had to watch from the road, hoping the fish would fit in the truck bed long enough for us to glimpse it.

As the ag students suddenly scattered in all directions, our imaginations ran wild. Had the fish attacked someone? Was it even bigger than we’d imagined?

The truth turned out to be just as dramatic—they’d hooked a nine-foot alligator gar that was far from pleased about being dragged behind a truck.

That sense of mystery and awe is what makes the alligator garfish so compelling. Thanks to improved conservation efforts, these ancient giants will continue to inspire anglers and storytellers for generations to come.

Chester Moore

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Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.

Wildlife Cloning

Coyotes 70 Percent Red Wolves? Galveston “Ghost Wolves”

February 25, 2026 Chester Moore Leave a comment

On a humid stretch of prairie behind the subdivisions and beach houses of Galveston Island, something unexpected moves through the cordgrass at dusk.

Locals call them coyotes. Officially, that’s what they are.

But genetically, many of these canids are something far more complicated.

Recent testing has revealed that some of the island’s coyotes carry astonishing levels of red wolf ancestry in a few cases, as much as 70 percent.

That’s a startling number when you consider that the Red Wolf is one of the most endangered mammals in North America, with only a small, managed population remaining in the wild.

To the untrained eye, a Galveston coyote looks like any other Gulf Coast song dog: lean, long-legged, wary. But hidden in its DNA is the genetic echo of a predator that once roamed from Texas to the Carolinas.

Some researchers have started calling them the “ghost wolves” of the Gulf Coast, living remnants of a species many believed was functionally lost outside a tightly controlled recovery zone.

My latest video talks about a unique effort involving cloning to help forward the conservation of the red wolf.

Chester Moore

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Wildlife Cloning

They Cloned a Dire Wolf. I Spoke With the Man Overseeing It

February 21, 2026 Chester Moore Leave a comment

A dire wolf has been brought back through modern genetic science — and I sat down with the company executive overseeing the project to understand exactly how it happened.

Watch the interview here.

In this in-depth interview, we discuss dire wolf cloning, de-extinction science, CRISPR gene editing, ancient DNA recovery, conservation biotechnology, and what this breakthrough could mean for endangered species, ecosystem restoration, and the future of wildlife management.

Is this true de-extinction?

Could extinct animals like the woolly mammoth or saber-toothed cat be next?

What are the ethical concerns around cloning predators?

It’s a fascinating conversation and this is just the beginning.

Part two will come next week as we dive into how this technology might have an impact on the highly endangered red wolf breeding program.

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Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.

Wildlife Of Israel

From Lost to Living: The Hula Painted Frog and the Jerusalem Zoo

February 20, 2026 Chester Moore Leave a comment

A small, dark amphibian sits half-hidden among reeds inside the amphibian exhibit at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. At first glance, it does not stand out.

Yet this is the Hula painted frog (Latonia nigriventer), a species once declared extinct and now the focus of one of the zoo’s most important conservation programs.

The frog was first described in 1940 near Lake Hula and last observed in 1955. After decades without sightings, it was officially declared extinct in 1996 — the first amphibian in the nation ever listed that way.

Then, in 2011, a single individual was rediscovered in the Hula Valley following years of wetland restoration.

Subsequent genetic and morphological research revealed that the species belongs to an ancient lineage once believed to have disappeared at the end of the last Ice Age.

Today, it survives in only a small number of wetlands, and the total wild population is estimated at just a few hundred individuals.

It is classified as Critically Endangered.

In response to its rediscovery, the Jerusalem Zoo partnered with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority to establish a formal research and conservation initiative.

As stated in the official document:

“Building on a long-standing collaboration with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and a proven track record in conservation initiatives, the Jerusalem Zoo was granted permission to initiate an ex situ research and conservation program for Latonia nigriventer.” The comeback of the Hula Painte…

A founding group of frogs was transferred to the zoo. Two dedicated facilities were created: a behind-the-scenes unit for egg incubation and larval rearing, and a public exhibit designed to raise awareness while respecting the frog’s secretive nature.

The program focuses on gathering essential biological information:

“The primary goal is to uncover key aspects of the species’ biology through controlled husbandry and monitoring, thereby providing essential data to support both ex situ breeding and in situ habitat protection.” The comeback of the Hula Painte…

Because the species had been absent for decades, basic details about its breeding cycle, development, and dietary needs were largely unknown. Research conducted at the zoo helps fill these gaps and supports habitat protection efforts in the Hula Valley.

Established in 1993 as a non-profit institution through a partnership between the Jerusalem Municipality, the Jerusalem Foundation, the Jerusalem Development Authority, and the Ministry of Tourism, the zoo was built as both a public space and a conservation center. The Hula painted frog program reflects that mission directly.

Visitors who enter the amphibian exhibit may not immediately recognize the importance of the small frog they see. The display is modest. Behind the scenes, however, ongoing research continues — steady, careful, and long-term.

The Jerusalem Zoo is currently the only zoo in the world to house this species and present its conservation story.

In a quiet corner of the zoo, work is underway to ensure that this time, the frog’s story does not end.

Chester Moore

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Click here to see the full schedule.

Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.

Mysterious Wildlife

I Saw A Dark Cat More Mysterious Than A Panther

February 17, 2026 Chester Moore Leave a comment

This happened around 9 AM on a quiet wet road through the marsh.

Out of nowhere, a sleek, dark wild cat stepped onto the pavement — low to the ground, silent, with an incredibly long tail.

Watch the new video here.

At first, it reminded people of black panther stories… but this was something different.

The more I looked, the more certain I became: this was a jaguarundi — one of the most elusive wild cats in the Americas, and not something you expect to see crossing a road in broad daylight.

It walked calmly in front of the truck, disappeared into the grass, and left me completely stunned.

Check out the video above and let me know what you think.

Chester Moore

Moore To Host Shark Seminar Saturday At Houston Fishing Show

The Houston Fishing Show at the George R. Brown Convention Center will feature a special seminar by Chester Moore, Editor-In-Chief of Texas Fish & Game and founder of the Gulf Great White Sharks Society.

Moore’s seminar, titled “Giant Sharks of the Texas Coast,” will take place at 1:45 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21. The presentation will focus on recent developments involving shark populations along the Texas coast.

Moore will discuss an increase in sightings and activity of great white sharks and other large shark species in the Gulf of Mexico. Topics will include tracking data of great whites near the Flower Gardens National Marine Sanctuary, efforts to locate rare and large dusky sharks in Texas waters, and accounts of historically large sharks in the region.

The seminar will also highlight ways the public can get involved in conservation projects focused on large and rare shark species.

Attendees will receive a free Gulf Great White Shark Society decal. Kids are welcome, and the first 10 children at the event will get a free shark book courtesy of the Society.

The seminar is part of the Houston Fishing Show’s educational schedule.

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Higher Calling Wildlife

Decision Could Stop The Texas Javelina Massacre

February 17, 2026 Chester Moore Leave a comment

The recent decision by the Boone and Crockett Club to recognize javelinas in a new big game records category represents a victory for this often overlooked and even maligned Texas native.

Known scientifically as collared peccaries, javelinas inhabit the arid regions of Texas and other parts of the Southwest.

Despite being native to the region, they’ve often been sidelined in conservation and hunting discussions. By elevating javelinas to a “Boone and Crockett” category, the Club’s action could provide the species with a much-needed spotlight, potentially curbing the devastating impacts of poisoning and promoting sustainable hunting practices.

For years, the javelina has been caught in the crossfire of feral hog management strategies, particularly in Texas, where hog populations have reached crisis levels. With the introduction of the warfarin-based toxicant for feral hogs I had serious concerns for the javelina.

While aimed at controlling invasive hog populations, such toxicants pose a grave threat to native species like the javelina. Sharing similar diets and overlapping habitats with feral hogs, javelinas are susceptible to poisoning.

TPWD’s “Javelina in Texas” publication notes that “Recent downturns in javelina population trends in South Texas appear to follow drought cycles, habitat management treatments, and more recent emphasis on white-tailed deer management, including high fencing and predator control.”

They go on to say that although habitat improvement for white-tailed deer, such as food plots, supplemental feeding, and water development, improved habitat for javelina, in many cases it also exacerbated problems between deer enthusiasts and javelina.

“Incidental and illegal harvest of javelina due to their perceived nuisance of predation, agricultural damage and competition with deer has added to this decline.” (TPWD)

Big protein-fed, selectively bred whitetail bucks bring in big bucks to ranchers and javelina are not a priority. In fact, as the TPWD document notes, illegal harvest is rampant.

In 2017 I wrote about this and called it the “Texas Javelina Massacre” and it represents the greatest decline in range of a game animal in Texas in modern history. In the 1930s javelina ranged close to the Red River. Now they’re restricted to South of San Antonio, the lair of the trophy whitetail.

If warfarin killed those bucks there would be an outcry as big as the state itself. If it kills javelina, you can bet more will be put out.

Many will look at taking out hogs and javelina as a two for one special.

Recognizing javelinas as a legitimate big game species under Boone and Crockett could play a critical role in reversing this trend.This recognition sends a powerful message: javelinas are not just incidental wildlife or agricultural nuisances but an integral part of the ecosystem worthy of respect and protection. It’s a shift that could influence both hunters and land managers, emphasizing the need to differentiate between native species and invasive pests.

Hunting organizations like Boone and Crockett wield considerable influence over the perception of wildlife. Their record books, long revered in the hunting community, often dictate what species are considered prestigious or desirable for hunting. By including javelinas, B&C can incentivize conservation.’

When hunters begin to value javelinas as trophy animals, the species gains not only visibility but also a constituency invested in its survival. This could lead to more careful habitat management practices, as hunters and ranchers recognize the ecological and economic benefits of preserving javelina populations. Boone and Crockett’s decision could inspire broader public interest in the species.

Much like the resurgence of bison as a symbol of American conservation, javelinas could transition from being misunderstood oddities to celebrated icons of the Southwest.

One of the most pressing issues in wildlife management in Texas today is the need to make clear distinctions between invasive exotic species, like feral hogs, and native wildlife, such as javelinas. Education and advocacy are essential to dispel these misconceptions and ensure that javelinas receive the protection they deserve. Boone and Crockett’s recognition of javelinas is a critical step in this direction, as it underscores the importance of differentiating between invasive threats and native wildlife in conservation strategies.

Hunter-conservationists have long been at the forefront of efforts to protect and restore wildlife populations. From the recovery of wild turkeys to the resurgence of elk in the eastern United States, hunters have demonstrated their commitment to preserving America’s natural heritage. The Boone and Crockett Club’s decision to include javelinas in their record books reflects this tradition of leadership and advocacy. By valuing javelinas as a big game species, the Club is not only promoting ethical hunting but also laying the groundwork for broader conservation efforts that could benefit the species for generations to come.

And speaking of elk, maybe we need to look at the status of elk in Texas. Despite being a native they are not game animals.

Texas has a unique wildlife management approach with many hits and a few misses. The javelina is a miss and this recent decision bodes well for the species.

Chester Moore

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Cougars, Mysterious Wildlife

The Black Cougar Mystery No One Can Explain

February 7, 2026 Chester Moore Leave a comment

For decades, people across the United States have reported something that science insists shouldn’t exist:

A jet-black mountain lion.

From rural Texas to the Appalachian Mountains, eyewitnesses have described large black cats slipping through the woods, crossing roads at night, or appearing briefly on trail cameras before vanishing again. Some call them “black panthers” but most are describing a mountain lion-totally black in color.

Watch the mini-documentary here.

But here’s the problem…

According to biologists, there has never been a confirmed case of a truly melanistic (black) cougar in North America.

So what are people seeing?

And why do these reports refuse to go away?

A Wildlife Mystery Hidden in Plain Sight

Black panthers are real — but not in the way most Americans think.

In Africa and Asia, melanistic leopards and jaguars are well-documented. Their dark coats come from genetic mutations that occur naturally.

But in the United States, the situation is different.

Mountain lions (Puma concolor) do not appear to carry the gene for true melanism — at least, not based on any verified specimen.

No confirmed photo.

No verified body.

Not even one born in captivity.

Yet sightings continue.

Could they be out there? We share some photos of alleged black mountain lions in the video above.

Why This Story Matters

Wildlife mysteries like this reveal something deeper:

The gap between what science can confirm…
and what people swear they’ve seen in the wild.

Or do you believe black cougars are nothing more than myth?

Drop your thoughts in the comments — and subscribe for more investigations into wildlife, conservation, and the unexplained corners of the outdoors.

Chester Moore

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