Comments on: Will fencing our U.S. borders affect migrating wildlife?

By: PVB

PVB — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:48:15 +0000

I agree that the proposed fence on our southern border will adversely effects many species of wildlife, be they charismatic megafauna such as the endangered Jaguar or the less visible but also important components of the ecosystem – reptiles, mammals, birds and insects. As noted in the previous postings, the Fish and Wildlife Service is neglecting the Jaguar’s plight in deference to the Department of Homeland Security. At the same time there is a crisis facing another top predator on our northern border, namely the Polar Bear in Alaska. If global warming causes the summer ice to disappear in the Arctic, as is now feared, the Polar Bear will no longer be able to hunt seals on that ice and will become extinct, since the seals that live on the ice are the Polar Bear’s sole source of food and they, too will have no place to go. The Environemental Protection Agency is considering the listing of the Polar Bear as endangered. Polar Bear hunting is still allowed (see http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-SPECIES/2007/June/Day-15/e11620.htm). Meanwhile oil and gas leases are about to be sold to petroleum companies, allowing them to drill in the Artic Ocean directly under Polar Bear habitat. The Bush administration is stalling the declaration of endangerment so as not to jeopardize the leasing. Ironically the oil pumped from those wells would be burned in our automobiles to produce more oil to contribute to more global warming and melt more ice. Our economy attracts human immigrants from the south and therefore we build a border fence that harms the Jaguar. Our economy demands oil and therefore we drill in the northern border and harm the Polar Bear.

By: bhf

bhf — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:45:32 +0000

Besides the fence, we have many other barriers to animal movement. Our group looks at urban development and the problems with diminishing habitat for urban wildlife. At some point, we need to understand the value that wildlife has for our society. If we were to invest in futures on wildlife, we would hit the jackpot. Land values around any sanctuary would skyrocket. Buildings that include some habitat, even a small amount for birds and butterflies, would have better tenant occupancy. http://www.land4urbanwidlife.org.

By: Maggie

Maggie — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:46:46 +0000

I think the border fence is one of the worst things we’ll ever do to wildlife, not to mention people. I was recently in SE Arizona in an area known as the most biodiverse in the US. It is very close to the Mexican border and much of the time I was there I was thinking about this fence and what a horrible mistake it is. I beleive that even if an animal gets designated as endangered that Bush has exempted the fence project from any environmental over-sight, as he has done for the sonar off the California coast. I believe it will take at least more than 100 years to undue the environmental damge this administration has created. The fence will be a lasting legacy to their ignorance, heartlessness, and disconnection from the natural world.