Would building a wall on the United States border to Mexico pose problems with migrating wildlife?

Question

Illegal immigration is a huge issue. But people are forgetting the animals. Regardless of how well a 20 foot wall would work against illegals, how would it fare on migrating creatures? Are there land animals that travel between our two countries? I'm sure there are plenty of birds and insects, but they could fly over.

Does building a wall hurt any wildlife that needs to pass between?

Answer 1

Indeed, a physical barrier will affect wildlife.

However, you also have to consider that the traffic in humans, drugs, etc. disrupts wildlife habits and habitat, and the trash left by the migrants spoils the landscape and makes more areas unsuitable or dangerous.

Trafficers are rather ruthless people and don't care what they destroy or shoot—some of them have "rape trees" where they leave the underwear of the women they rape as they take them across the border, do you think they care about rare tortoises?

Answer 2

You know I never even considered that equation.  I was thinking a powerful electronic type fence would do the job against illegal aliens, but your question does pose a problem.  However, it has been my experience wildlife does not get much respect these days.

Answer 3

like you said not for birds. but if you have big animals that can't climb, it might affect them.

by the way, i didn't think about this until you asked. good question

Answer 4

I can think of two animals right off the bat that it would affect..the ocelot and the jagurundi...both endangered species (wild cats) in the US, it would leave the small populations in the US isolated and lead to their extinction here.  I am sure there are others that I just cannot think of right now.

Answer 5

As Robert Orben wrote: "Illegal aliens have always been a problem in the United States. Ask any Indian."

I expect there are many animals that move between northern Mexico and southern US -- after all, to them, country designations matter little.

Building such a wall would be folly on so many levels...

Answer 6

Yep.We will just let that rattlesnake go right over border,obviously you have never seen this country to even know what it looks like.Its scrub brush and small trees in places but mostly it sand and Rock I doubt very much if we would lose any wild life.

Answer 7

Yeah, that is a great question... I'm not sure of any land based animals that migrate from the u.s. to mexico... Remember what states border Mexico: Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California... For Texas, Arizona, New Mexico I wouldn't think of any animal that would migrate to Mexico...  California I'm not too sure about... For the most part, land based animals don't usually migrate that much...

Answer 8

Not too much walking wild life migrates in that environment ,but the ones that do have to be affected.

Answer 9

No there is already animals on both sides and they don't migrate that far .