Which animals will be endangered by the U.S.-Mexico wall?

In the run-up to Donald Trump becoming US President, rhetoric about a ‘Great Wall’ to keep unwanted Mexican immigrants out of America was one of his most controversial pledges. But regardless of the political fallout, one thing can be certain. This will be disastrous for the wildlife species of the region.

Although Trump has been characteristically vague about the actual dimensions – with height estimates ranging from 10-17 metres – a wall that will stretch for over 1,600 kilometres is going to need a lot of concrete. It has been estimated that mixing the required cement will release two million tons of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that will have considerable environmental impact.

US jaguars, ocelots and grey wolves will suddenly find themselves cut off from the territories they have occupied for thousands of years. Animals forced to migrate northwards due to climate change creating warmer environments will find their paths blocked. In some areas the boundary between the countries is currently sealed with barbed-wire fences. Bison have been spotted attempting to clamber over to get access to water and food supplies. A study in 2011 discovered that 16 Californian species had lost up to 75% of their habitat due to the existing barrier. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have estimated that the proposed wall would affect 111 endangered species and 108 migratory birds living in the biodiverse Rio Grande Valley. As well as causing deaths by direct impact – such as birds striking the concrete - the wall has the potential to curtain animals’ mobility and fragment populations.

The fate of the Florida Panther serves as a warning of what can happen when natural habitats are unnaturally partitioned. Once flourishing from Louisiana to Florida, these majestic cats have been steadily coralled into Florida's southern tip. The surviving population has started inbreeding, leading to genetic disorders and disease.

Of all the species that will be adversely impacted by the Great Wall, surely the most ironic example is the bald eagle, symbol of American freedom.