The next day, they were in the clearing of a swamp area in Cleveland, Texas, near the Chain-O Lakes Resort, talking about their prairie adventures. And Chris decided to ask the others why they thought he said the prairie animals they wanted to see instead of meeting up with him with a Prairie Rattlesnake.
"Okay, you guys care to explain why you all decided to see the animals you wanted to see instead of a rattlesnake?" Chris inquired.
"I only heard part of it, your message cuts off when you got to "prairie"." Aviva said.
"Same with me." Martin, Koki and Jimmy said in unison.
Chris groaned and shook his head.
"And Prairie Chicken was the first thing I thought." Aviva said.
"Same with me with the Prairie Falcon and Tracker." Martin said.
"Me with the Prairie Dogs." Koki said.
"Me as well with the prairie monkeys that I didn't see." Jimmy said.
The others then stared at him confusedly and completely weirdly and remained silent for a few moments.
"What?" Jimmy frowned.
"Uh, Jimmy, there's no such thing as a prairie monkey." Chris said, correcting him.
"There isn't?" Jimmy said.
"No." Martin said. "There are no monkeys this far north in the Western Hemisphere."
"Oh, Okay." Jimmy said.
"Why would you think there's such a thing as a prairie monkey, Jimmy?" Aviva asked.
"Well, I guess you could say that I thought there was." Jimmy said. "I can't believe I was on a wild goose chase."
Hours later, it was now night as Chris and Martin were out night-exploring. And Aviva, Amber, Tyrana, Skylie, Bumpo, Hornster and Grubby were with them as Koki and Jimmy have already turned-in for the night.
"Man, I can't believe Jimmy was serious with a prairie monkey." Chris said.
"Yeah, he's such a goofball sometimes." Martin said. "In a funny way though, that is. But then again, I mean, what's next? A sea camel?"
"Well, gotta at least give him credit for trying to find something on the prairie." Chris said.
"Yeah, you're right." Martin said.
A few minutes later, they were near the side of the resort as then Chris saw some movement.
"Oh, look at that!" Chris said. "There's a gecko, it's going up the side!"
They looked as soon they saw the gecko, after gently coaxing it down. Chris was soon able to catch him.
"Wow, it's a Mediterranean Gecko." Chris said. "It's actually an invasive species here in Texas."
"Really?" Aviva wondered.
"Yeah." Martin said and showed a holographic screen of the gecko's home range. "You normally found these geckos in Southern Europe, western Israel, to the northern part of Africa."
"Wow, these geckos here are sure a long-way from home." Aviva said.
"Sure are." Chris said.
Areas where Mediterranean House Geckos are introduced are Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Panama, Puerto Rico, Belize, and Cuba. As well as Mexican regions like Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Sonora, Durango and Nuevo Leon. Even in the United States in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Virginia. Even as far north to Tennessee, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Montana.
Soon, Chris lets the gecko go as they continued on.
A few minutes later, as they looked around, Martin catches a shape among a plant.
"There's one." Martin said.
"Where?" Chris asked.
"Right there!" Martin said, pointing to the plant.
Resting on the plant, was a Green Anole. And a good-size one as well, nearly as big as they can get.
Anoles are diurnal, meaning they're more active in daylight. So Chris quietly got down, and reaches towards the lizard. And quickly makes the grab.
"Got him, yes." Chris said
He then got up.
"Wow, that is a cool lizard." Aviva said.
"Yeah, and there's the Brown Anole and Green Anole." Martin said. "Though, I wish there was a Blue Anole. But at least Green Anoles have some blue around their eyes."
After a few moments, Chris soon lets the Anole go as he crawls back into the bush.
Several minutes later, they left the lodge as they explored around the shore of the lake.
As they walked, Martin then saw a snake, and quickly caught it. And soon revealed it as a ribbon snake.
"Whoa, a ribbon snake!" Chris said.
"Yeah, and it has some blue!" Martin said. "You know, not enough animals we've seen are blue."
"You know, I think this might be a Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake." Chris said.
They soon pleased the snake down, and continued on exploring the shore of the lake.
After a few minutes of looking through the crystal-clear water near the shore of the lake, Chris noticed the shape of a fish close by.
"Hey, I think there's a fish." Chris said. "Looks like a Gar."
Chris slowly enters the water getting as close as he can with a large net as Martin shines his light on the gar. Once close enough, Chris then slowly inches the net towards the fish, and then makes the catch.
"Whoa, look at that!" Chris said as the Gar flopped in the net.
Chris then got the Gar out of the net and made sure he had a good grip on its slippery skin.
"Wow, look at those teeth." Aviva said, seeing the fish's teeth.
"Yeah, gars are fearsome predators." Martin said. "And this is a Spotted Gar."
"Yeah, it's skin is almost like armor-plated as well." Chris said.
Soon, Chris lowers the Gar to the water, and lets it go as the fish swims off.
Later, they were exploring by the trees.
"Pretty eerie, out here." Martin said.
"Yeah." Chris said.
They went further down the trail, and then came across a hive with resting Red Wasps.
"Oh, boy." Chris said.
"I do not want to get stung." Aviva said.
And they moved away from the wasps.
A few minutes later, they soon came across a Bullfrog. And he was a monster, just as big as Tuba, who is another Bullfrog they've met a little while back.
"Whoa, that's a monster-sized Bullfrog." Chris said.
"You're telling me." Aviva said.
"A Bullfrog at that size could easily eat smaller frogs, birds, even small snakes." Martin said.
"Whoa!" Aviva said, stunned. "You weren't kidding about frogs eating anything that can fit in their mouths."
"This makes it easy." Martin said. "Your name is Monster Frog."
They looked at Monster Frog for a few more minutes as then the Bullfrog hops off disappearing into the reeds.
Soon, they decided to head back to the Tortuga for the night.
Author's Note:
It's nice to see the team creature adventuring in Texas for a first time.