U.S. Abandons Endangered Species to Build Border Fence

5 years ago Nature

The government has faced adversity before over its plans in constructing a border fence to combat illegal immigration.

jaguar

They have bravely persisted in building the fence despite repeated assertions from a variety of sources that it will be massively expensive and completely ineffective. (My personal favorite piece of anti-border fence media comes from Penn & Teller’s: B*llsh$T. They built a fence to the specs the government created, then had several undocumented immigrants try to get through, under, and over it. It took about 5 minutes for 6 people to get through.)

Despite this, they’ve soldiered on and won’t be called quitters. But when it comes to the highly endangered US Jaguar, well finding enough is just too hard so they’re just going to let it die out. The Department of the Interior said that too few of the cats have been found in the US, so therefore there is no point to make a recovery plan.

Quite a few people think the government’s border fence plan and the demise of the jaguar in the US are intertwined. While it only takes a few minutes for a person of normal strength to get past the wall with a few tools, jaguars find the fence impenetrable.

Jaguars extend from South America all the way up into the Southern United States, but their presence in the border region could cause trouble for officials. If the area were designated a protected area for the animals, it would be a massive roadblock to a border fence. Kieran Suckling, the Center for Biological Diversity’s policy director, said: "That's the central issue here."

The Center has filed a lawsuit against the US in Phoenix which they hope will end up forcing the US Fish and Wildlife Department to create a recovery plan for the animals. But the department says it’s not a US problem, saying the jaguar’s recovery "depends on conservation efforts in Mexico and Central and South America."

The department’s belief is that the US population is insignificant to the species’ survival, and that removing the cat from its habitats in the US will not harm the species overall.

It’s great to see that the government has its priorities straight. Wiping out even a small percentage of an endangered species can have disastrous effects one the population as a whole, but that doesn’t matter so long as people from south of the border find it very slightly more difficult to come to America.

Source: National Geographic

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Written by: Chris

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Comments

Old Comments

Shepard says

Mar 20th, 2010 at 12am
This stuff really gets under my skin. Species are on this planet for a reason and since we know better it should be our job to protect them. Some border fence should not be more important than a species primal right to survive.

amanda says

May 25th, 2008 at 12am
While I would LOVE to see a viable breeding population here in the US, I don’t think USF&WS can reasonably justify spending it’s limited resources on these few cats. Doesn’t sound like a viable population to me either. It’s my understanding, that only males have been detected in AZ. This comes from both USF&WS and the Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project. Given the limited resources (and support from this administration), I’d rather see them spend time and money on other species, ones that might actually benefit. …Like the Ivory Billed Woodpecker for instance. JMO
While I would LOVE to see a viable breeding population here in the US, I don’t think USF&WS can reasonably justify spending it’s limited resources on these few cats. Doesn’t sound like a viable population to me either. It’s my understanding, that only males have been detected in AZ. This comes from both USF&WS and the Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project. Given the limited resources (and support from this administration), I’d rather see them spend time and money on other species, ones that might actually benefit. …Like the Ivory Billed Woodpecker for instance. JMO
While I would LOVE to see a viable breeding population here in the US, I don’t think USF&WS can reasonably justify spending it’s limited resources on these few cats. Doesn’t sound like a viable population to me either. It’s my understanding, that only males have been detected in AZ. This comes from both USF&WS and the Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project. Given the limited resources (and support from this administration), I’d rather see them spend time and money on other species, ones that might actually benefit. …Like the Ivory Billed Woodpecker for instance. JMO
........................................................ In 1963 they found a pregant female in the united states. Just because noone has seen females does not mean they are not in the united states. Jaguars need our help too.

amanda says

May 25th, 2008 at 12am
[…] Sorry Jaguars, but we’re going to have to let you become endangered to keep out illegal immigrants. […]
they are already in endangered because of humans killing them. Do you really want them extinct?

StupidLIBS says

Apr 12th, 2008 at 12am
You fricking losers have NO idea what LA has turned into. I do, and left after 2 DECADES. You don't want a wall built?? FINE, PREPARE FOR F*CKING WAR!

What a joke says

Apr 12th, 2008 at 12am
I guess US Gov. doesn't think the Mexicans can obtain and use bolt cutters and hacksaws? US Jaguars? I lived here all my live and this is news to me.

Eco Interactive says

Apr 9th, 2008 at 12am
I am all for border security, but the fence is just a another in a long line of dumb ideas to come out of the Bush Administration. People, the fence won't work! We need more boots on the ground, period. The fence is a simple solution for simple minds that have no idea what it really takes to secure a border.

Eco Preservation says

Apr 9th, 2008 at 12am
Fence = Incompetence. It is a boondoggle. A PR solution that accomplishes NOTHING as far as securing our boarders and damages our environment needlessly.

Common Sense says

Feb 9th, 2008 at 12am
I live in the Southwest, and was born in the Southwest. I am a conservationist, and a patriot. I care about the welfare of people and wildlife. Some of the racism expressed above is downright ugly and sad. I've seen this fence in person: it is ugly and sad too. The immigration problem is a serious one that our country needs to tackle at its roots - we need immigration reform and we need to come up with ways to help both the US and Mexico's economies thrive, so that Mexicans aren't fleeing their country in search of basic labor and a chance at a better life for their families. Obviously a fence will not solve the root problems driving illegal immigration, and is a shameful waste of tax dollars. It isn't effective either -- people are scaling it and tunneling under it right now. The engangered jaguar is caught up in this mess, and it's habitat is being fragmented to pieces by this wall. The chances of the American jaguar recovering and reclaiming its rightful place in the wildlands of our country is being compromised. Did you know the jaguar once roamed as far north as the Grand Canyon, and stalked across parts of Louisiana? Our government's unwillingness to develop a plan to recover this magnificent cat is a testament to an administration that has done nothing but unravel environmental protections and drag it's feet on pressing environmental issues (e.g. global warming, deforestation) from day one to satisfy its corrupt corporate donors. Not only do we need immigration reform, we need stronger campaign finance reform to keep big money and special interests out and restore our democracy. Restore and protect our natural heritage. We need to tackle our problems proactively and collaboratively, not with hatred and divisiveness. Wake up America!

Nope says

Jan 30th, 2008 at 12am
"This is an outrage! as a wildlife biologist i am sickened more and more each day by our government’s lack of appreciation for everything we have. No asshole, the outrage is directed at YOU for not giving a flying f*ck about PEOPLE who have to deal with the WORTHLESS vato gangbangers every day in the Southwest.

Scott says

Jan 26th, 2008 at 12am
This is an outrage! as a wildlife biologist i am sickened more and more each day by our government's lack of appreciation for everything we have. They sit at home in their million dollar mansions and don't worry a god damn thing about issues that don't directly affect their pocket book. Its all about image and money. I hope that this doesn't go through because some of this charismatic megafauna is all the region has left. It is simply ignorant to say that losing the jaguar will not affect the other species in the region. Every species on this planet is important to the survival of other species.