El Tecolote Ranch, part of the Hunke Ranch, is one of the newest acquisitions of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acquired the 1,119 acre tract with funds from the Department of Homeland Security that were reserved to counteract the negative impact to wildlife caused by the construction of the U.S./Mexico border fence. The previous owners, Karen and Phil Hunke, worked for more than a decade to transform thousands of acres into a sanctuary for endangered plants and animals such as the ocelot.
We had the opportunity to spend three days working with the fencing contractor as well as posting signs along the borders. The property is seven miles from any paved roads and sits on the Hidalgo/Willacy county line. The area is very quiet with an abundance of wildlife. Driving through the property we saw deer, coyote, nilgai antelope, and lots of birds.
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| The fencing contractor placed these beautiful iron gates at the two entrances. |
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| Lunch Stop |
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| This beehive on an abandoned building is the largest we have seen. |
