Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection
The Natural History Collection at Texas A&M University
The Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection was established in 1938 by the late Dr. William B. Davis, founder of the Department of Wildlife Management (later Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences) at Texas A&M University. The collections within the TCWC serve as historical evidence of the distribution of wildlife in Texas, and provide valuable ecological and life history information for an array of vertebrate species. The collections are used in the research of Texas A&M faculty, graduate students, and scientists worldwide, as well as for the teaching of natural history, conservation and wildlife management, both within the university and in public schools.
The Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection primarily documents the faunal history of Texas, the United States, Central and South America, and the Gulf of Mexico. This includes over one million specimens and their associated historical documents, so as to assure their accessibility to current and future generations. Historically the TCWC has been an invaluable source of data for researchers in the fields of biodiversity, vertebrate evolution, endangered species, wildlife and fisheries conservation, and even forensic biology. This information is also made available to the public, to increase awareness of the natural history of Texas and thus enabling the citizens of Texas to make better-informed decisions affecting their natural environment. In recent years, the mission of the TCWC has expanded to include a greater focus on public access and education.
The collection is open for visitation Monday through Friday usually from 9 am till 4 pm. Please call in advance (979) 845-5783 to notify the curatorial staff of your arrival. The TCWC Nature Trail is open to visitors from dawn till dusk year round.
Society for Conservation Biology