Thread: Border fence seen harming ocelots, butterflies

Border fence seen harming ocelots, butterflies

By Ed Stoddard 1 hour, 57 minutes ago

ON THE RIO GRANDE, Texas (Reuters) - The riot of green vegetation that lines both sides of the Rio Grande river along the southeast Texas and Mexican border can give a canoeist the impression of gliding past unbroken wilderness.


But the strip of riparian forest that runs a few miles between the Texas towns of Fronton and Roma is deceptive.

In reality one of the most ecologically diverse corners of the United States has been diced up by farming and urban sprawl into isolated fragments of habitat that support far less wildlife than when they were whole.

Now, conservationists are concerned that a planned border security fence to stem illegal immigration from Mexico could cut this delicate area up even more and possibly remove the corridor of vital riverbank habitat that remains.

"We know as habitats become fragments whether by roads, fences or walls animals become much less capable of roaming widely," said Dr. Joel Berger, a senior scientist with the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society.

"As these restrictions occur animals become isolated and with isolation the risks of local extinctions greatly increase," he said.

Animals at risk of local extinction include the U.S. population of the ocelot, a wild cat that is down to a few dozen animals, and several species of birds. Rare native plants such as sabal palm trees are down to a few isolated patches.

Driving along Route 281 which hugs this section of the Rio Grande reveals what lies behind the forested facade on the river's edge -- fast-growing border towns and cultivated fields of corn, sugar cane and other crops.

At stake is the sheer diversity of life in a region of lush subtropical vegetation threaded by a great river, lying between vast arid landscapes to the west and the Gulf of Mexico to the east.

Few Americans are aware of the area's ecological significance, which in four counties includes 300 butterfly species -- more than the rest of the country east of the Mississippi -- and over 500 different birds.

RECONNECT THE DOTS

Ecologists are trying to reconnect the dots by revegetating old farmland with native plants which they hope to link up.

At the Nature Conservancy of Texas' 1,000-acre Southmost Preserve, the contrast is plain along a dirt road with a cornfield on one side and wild bush on the other.

"This side looked exactly like that cornfield seven years ago," said Lisa Williams, a local project director with the Nature Conservancy, as she pointed to the tangle of wild growth which included haunting tepegauje trees -- a key species of the area -- their feathery leaves blowing in the wind.

"These are the pearls in a necklace which we are trying to string together," she said.

A pair of coyotes ran furtively through a field while a coot, an aquatic bird, chattered from a wetland.

When ecologists look at a patchwork of ecosystems cut up by roads or farms they think of islands -- and like islands out to sea, their isolation can be the undoing of their inhabitants.

According to the World Conservation Union, about 800 species have become extinct since 1500, when records began. Most were on islands.

But scientists say that extinctions and steep local population declines are now creeping onshore because continental habitats are being diced up by human activities.

Isolation makes populations more prone to sudden die-offs from disease or drought and also limits their genetic pool.

Other tracts of land besides Southmost are being protected in the area and reverted to their original state -- but there are worries the wall could cut through some of this work.

"There are two dozen species of very specialized birds that only live in the river forest and if that was cleared for the wall they will be lost to the area," said Martin Hagne, the executive director of the Valley Nature Center.

Supporters of the wall say it is needed to stem the tide of illegal immigration into the United States and the government says one green spin off will be a reduction in the mountains of litter which illicit crossers leave behind.

"I think it's well documented the affect that illegal border crossing activity has on the environment. The result in many cases is refuse left behind such as plastic bottles, clothes and discarded rubber rafts," said Michael Friel, a spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

He also said that in areas where effective control of the border has been reasserted such as near San Diego, local wild habitat which was trampled by illegal crossers has re-grown.

Elsewhere international fences are being dropped for conservation reasons. The fence between South Africa's famed Kruger National Park and Mozambique is being removed to make more room for elephants and other wildlife.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070725/sc_ ... t_fence_dc

They're probably illegal butterflies anyway.

Monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico every year. Monarchs living west of the Rocky Mts head to California in the fall. The much larger Eastern population migrates to the mountains of southwestern Mexico. Between 200 and 500 million arrive every Nov sweeping over an area of about 60 square miles to settle down in the coniferous forests on the slopes of the high mountains. In late Feb they leave the cold overwintering grounds and fly down to lower elevations where they mate and feed on nectar. In early March they begin heading home. The females lay their eggs on milkweed plants after reaching the Gulf Coast of the southwestern U.S. During the early summer the butterflies that left Mexico die, but their offspring continue to migrate north as far as southern Ontario. Because the complete life cycle from egg to adult takes 5 weeks, between 3 and 6 generations of monarchs hatch throughout the summer months. Only the monarchs born after August - the descendants of the butterflies that left Mexico - survive to migrate back to the species overwintering grounds.

I subscribe to a publication called "OLD NEWS." The articles are fascinatng and diverse. This was an article entitled, "Scientist Struggles to Solve Butterfly Migration Mystery (Fred Urquhart).

Butterflies and very important to our ecology, as are birds. I really hope we can find a way to have our fence and still remain ecology friendly.

Actually, it probably will make a difference if the animals can't get to the river. That is a sad thing.

The illegals are destroying, polluting, and trashing the border areas. They leave it looking like a garbage dump, if you have ever seen the pictures. They cut down those beautiful huge cacti that are decades old.
These people so concerned about the environment never mention that.

If they had gotten as worked up over that as they do about ever little tweety bird that gets dislocated, we might have a cleaner country and the fence would not have been necessary.

Personally, I am as concerned about the animals as anyone - truly concerned - not show and tell. Having grown up a country girl, I am sad when I realize many animals are so scarce or have been pushed into less hospitable areas. More and more people coming here who have absolutely no idea of conservation is not going to help the situation.

The hypocrisy is just astounding.

Though I am a big animal an nature lover, I'm more concerned with losing America as we know it......or once knew it. Build the fence the animals will adapt.

Originally Posted by Cliffdid

Though I am a big animal an nature lover, I'm more concerned with losing America as we know it......or once knew it. Build the fence the animals will adapt.

Yes, they will.

There is a point at which America cannot adapt and remain America - we are fast reaching that point.

At least something goes back to Mexico!

I can see how they are concerned about these issues and thats fine...But in the other side of the country here on Long Island they shred and build on any open piece of land destroy watersheds and animals habitats!!! Environmentalists are of no avail as there is to much corruption going on in local and state governments where animals stood in the way of progress!! Yea sounds like hippy hypocritical BS!!

What about all the environmental damage the illegals do when they stampede across the border, leaving their garbage and waste everywhere.

They haven't opened their mouths about the destruction of the deserts.
They also haven't mentioned the shanty towns with open sewers that spring up on the border when these illegals 'land'.

As I said, the hypocrisy is just outstanding.

Al Gore and those of his group are blaming Americans and their autos for every ill in the world. He never mentions that within a month or two of landing here, the illegal owns and drives a car. These are not small hybrid either. Also, they possibly didn't own a car in Mexico - so by virtue of encouraging their coming here, they have created ultra consumers where none existed before.

Hypocrisy -