Nature interrupted: Impact of the US-Mexico border wall on wildlife

The construction of the US-Mexico border wall has significantly disrupted wildlife migration and survival in the El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve. A study led by ecologist Ganesh Marin Mendez at the University of Arizona used camera traps, infrasound recorders, and environmental DNA analysis to document a notable decrease in mammal presence near the wall and adjacent highways, including species like jaguars, ocelots, and black bears. The wall, exceeding 16 feet in height, has fragmented transboundary populations, threatening genetic diversity and survival of endangered species such as the ferruginous pygmy owl and Mexican gray wolf. Additionally, the wall has severed access to vital water sources like Quitobaquito spring, exacerbating dehydration and starvation among wildlife on the Mexican side. The study underscores the broader ecological consequences of border infrastructure, including habitat fragmentation, loss of genetic diversity, and hindered climate adaptation for species reliant on transboundary movement.

Carrillo, I. (2024). Nature interrupted: Impact of the US-Mexico border wall on wildlife. Knowable Magazine. https://doi.org/10.1146/knowable-062724-2