San Rafael Valley and Proposed Border Wall site, by Erick Meza
Border Walls: The destruction of wildlife passageways by Carissa Sipp
Over the past few decades more and more border walls and obstructions have been erected with one excuse after another. While the success of the walls to achieve any of the goals structured and marketed as the reason for the investments is murky at best, wildlife has suffered enormous losses.
Investment in the border wall is at a staggering $21 million per mile in the Texas Rio Grande Valley. An additional $46 billion of tax-payer-funded wall has been approved by the house homeland security committee this year (2025). These billions will be funded at the cost of wildlife.
To date, researchers estimate that only 6–9% of animal interactions with border walls amount to any successful “breach,” while the remaining interactions lead to loss of genetic diversity, food, stress on the animals, and even death.
Much of not only the wall but the construction to create the wall and blockade along the border also cause death, destruction and even an extinction-level decline of animal, fish, and vegetation populations. Over 41 laws that typically protect public lands that you and I enjoy and own, as well as protect endangered wildlife such as the Sonoran mud turtle, are completely ignored in the construction and easily bypassed. The circumvention of protections for the species–human and animal–living in the areas of the construction causes chaos and irreversible damage to the ecosystem and way of life.
Both the border wall and its construction bring noise, lights, and environmental chaos. Animal fencing and walls eliminate the ability of animals like ocelots, wolves, jaguar, and bighorn sheep to find food and mates across the border. Their struggle for survival and this added barrier that inhibits gene pool expansion put an incredible risk on all these species native to these lands.
Land mammals are not the only ones at risk of stress and struggle in this era of billion-dollar investments and environmental destruction. A great variety of birds cannot make the flight over the wall once erected. While under construction the ground shaking, floodlights, and loud noises may disorient migrating species and disrupt pollinators from making the trips needed. Birds that typically stay close to the ground and do their hunting and living there as well–like Ferruginous pygmy-owls, greater roadrunners, and scaled quail–are at tremendous risk.
So, we know the wall and construction not only cost $10–100 but impact habitat loss and fragmentation, inhibit gene flow, and can destroy and disrupt critical water flow and waterways. What can be done to mitigate this risk? Let’s advocate for larger, more frequent wildlife openings in the border wall. Let’s ensure access to water and habitats. Let’s reduce harmful segments and advocate for better, safer passage to ensure successful crossings (i.e. no vehicle-caused hits or deaths). Lastly, let’s advocate for minimal noise and light pollution during construction with an effort to be kind to the neighbors. While the allocation of the funds has been made, we have a potential to advocate for the right use of these funds with an improvement for our friends who need our help.