Ocelet. Image: Tambako
“We will build a wall,” newly elected American president, Donald Trump, announced on his campaign website. “It will be a great wall. It will do what it is supposed to do: keep illegal immigrants out.”
However, if constructed, the wall would not only affect human populations in the region, it would also have dire consequences for wildlife.
Jaguar.
The US Fish and Wildlife Services estimates that reinforcing the border wall would potentially impact numerous endangered species and many other species that rely on land from both countries. This extensive list includes wild cats such as the jaguar and the ocelot, whose populations in the US are small and rely heavily on genetic mixing with Mexican populations. Without that, these species would suffer a drastic increase in vulnerability to disease, as well as a decreased ability to adapt to other environmental changes.
Overall, the wall would threaten 111 endangered species, including America’s national symbol: the bald eagle.
The wall would also mean fragmentation of the habitats of many animals that require large territories. This includes bobcats, who have already been seen traveling several miles just to access gaps in the fence to reach the other side. For animals who need to conserve all the energy they can, especially in a desert habitat, blocking off a part of their habitat that is clearly important to their survival would be devastating.
Bobcat range.
We need to consider all of the lives that will be affected, including wildlife. We want to hear your thoughts. Do you think Trump’s proposed wall is a good idea?
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