Latest news with #GaneshMarín
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientist makes astonishing discovery after observing US-Mexico border wall with motion-sensing cameras: 'Beautiful region'
Scientist makes astonishing discovery after observing US-Mexico border wall with motion-sensing cameras: 'Beautiful region' Much has been reported about the border wall between Mexico and the United States. It is designed to separate the two nations and prevent people from passing between the countries unchecked. However, a study has outlined the large and unintended consequences of the wall on nature and wildlife in the area. What's happening? As Vox detailed, the border wall in the southwest United States covering parts of Arizona and New Mexico also cuts through a swath of rugged natural terrain. The area is home to a diverse ecosystem of plants and animals that have been heavily impacted by the wall. Ganesh Marín, who was a doctoral researcher at the University of Arizona, set up 85 motion-sensor cameras in the region. The cameras captured various species, including ocelots, jaguars, beavers, and black bears. All in all, Marín ended up with about 21,000 clips. Why is this study concerning? The videos suggest the animals are avoiding the wall as much as possible and changing their behaviors in response. This is frustrating because the animals need to be able to wander the area freely to find water, food, and mates. Unfortunately, this is not the only way the wall has caused a problem for local wildlife. Last year, when fires swept through parts of Texas, frogs, snakes, and other animals close to the border couldn't escape because they were blocked by a section of the border wall. Ecosystems are already under threat because of rising global temperatures. According to the United Nations, many animals have already lost their habitats due to changing climates as well as the overdevelopment of land. The border wall only exacerbates an already growing problem. What's being done to protect wildlife? One way for people to fight back is to take local action in their own communities to ensure wildlife and ecosystems are protected. Another way is to vote for candidates who recognize the importance of these environmental issues, regardless of their side of the political aisle. As Marín noted, "Amazing wildlife is present in the borderlands due to the binational efforts to protect and restore the flow of life between both countries. We should not define this beautiful region and the creatures that roam by the existence of an imposed division." Do you think America is in a housing crisis? Definitely Not sure No way Only in some cities Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists put motion cameras along the US-Mexico border to spy on wildlife. The footage is spectacular — and telling.
The border wall between the US and Mexico is, of course, a barrier meant to prevent human migrants from crossing into America as they seek work, family, or refuge from violence. It's also a significant barrier to ranging wildlife. The border wall, a centerpiece of President Donald Trump's agenda, cuts through a rugged, unique ecosystem home to hundreds of native species, from jaguars and pumas to black bears and deer. These animals often need to move to survive, whether to find a source of water or a mate. We know the wall is impassable for many species, potentially lowering their chance of survival. How exactly the border affects this rich ecosystem, however, has largely been a mystery. A new study, among the first of its kind, finally offers some answers — by essentially spying on animals near the border. For the research, ecologist and lead author Ganesh Marín, then a doctoral researcher at the University of Arizona, set up 85 motion-sensing cameras in northeastern Sonora, Mexico, along and south of the US border in Arizona and New Mexico. Throughout the course of the research, when animals walked by, the cameras began recording. Over roughly two years, from 2020 to 2022, the cameras captured hundreds of hours of footage, including more than 21,000 clips with mammals, said Marín, a National Geographic Explorer and postdoctoral scientist at the nonprofit Conservation Science Partners. 'This place is so special because you see these tropical species, like ocelots and jaguars, at the same time as beavers and black bears,' Marín told me earlier this year when I was reporting on borderland jaguars. Some of the recordings are pretty incredible. In this clip, for example, a young puma, or mountain lion, makes a chirping sound, likely calling for its mother. Courtesy of Ganesh Marín Or check out this jaguar approaching the camera. This particular cat is known as Bonito. Scientists first detected this cat in 2020 and can identify him by his markings. Courtesy of Ganesh Marín Marín's cameras detected another jaguar, as well, called Valerio. He was seen by cameras multiple times in a protected area known as Cuenca Los Ojos just south of the border in Sonora. Courtesy of Ganesh Marín The camera traps caught black bears and their cubs… Courtesy of Ganesh Marín Courtesy of Ganesh Marín …bobcats and coyotes… Courtesy of Ganesh Marín Courtesy of Ganesh Marín …and even an ocelot, an elusive predatory cat. Courtesy of Ganesh Marín Analyzing the videos ultimately revealed several important details about wildlife in the borderlands. Marín found that large mammals, such as black bears and deer, as well as some smaller herbivores, spend less time near the border than in other, more remote stretches of his study region. That suggests these animals avoid border infrastructure. Other species, like the pronghorn, which have been seen on the US side of the border, didn't appear in his cameras at all. That may be because they have trouble crossing a highway that runs roughly parallel to the border in Sonora, according to Marín and his co-author, John L. Koprowski, a biologist at the University of Wyoming. Meanwhile, smaller common predators like coyotes and bobcats appeared more tolerant to human activity: They were more likely to use habitats with cattle, cars, and dirt roads, according to the footage. The study adds to a growing body of research showing that the border and infrastructure around it is disrupting wild animal communities. 'Amazing wildlife is present in the borderlands due to the binational efforts to protect and restore the flow of life between both countries,' Marín said in an email. 'We should not define this beautiful region and the creatures that roam by the existence of an imposed division.'
Vox
23-06-2025
- Science
- Vox
Watch: Videos reveal wildlife along the US-Mexico border and the impact of the wall
is an environmental correspondent at Vox, covering biodiversity loss and climate change. Before joining Vox, he was a senior energy reporter at Business Insider. Benji previously worked as a wildlife researcher. The border wall between the US and Mexico is, of course, a barrier meant to prevent human migrants from crossing into America as they seek work, family, or refuge from violence. It's also a significant barrier to ranging wildlife. The border wall, a centerpiece of President Donald Trump's agenda, cuts through a rugged, unique ecosystem home to hundreds of native species, from jaguars and pumas to black bears and deer. These animals often need to move to survive, whether to find a source of water or a mate. We know the wall is impassable for many species, potentially lowering their chance of survival. How exactly the border affects this rich ecosystem, however, has largely been a mystery. A new study, among the first of its kind, finally offers some answers — by essentially spying on animals near the border. For the research, ecologist and lead author Ganesh Marín, then a doctoral researcher at the University of Arizona, set up 85 motion-sensing cameras in northeastern Sonora, Mexico, along and south of the US border in Arizona and New Mexico. Throughout the course of the research, when animals walked by, the cameras began recording. Over roughly two years, from 2020 to 2022, the cameras captured hundreds of hours of footage, including more than 21,000 clips with mammals, said Marín, a National Geographic Explorer and postdoctoral scientist at the nonprofit Conservation Science Partners. 'This place is so special because you see these tropical species, like ocelots and jaguars, at the same time as beavers and black bears,' Marín told me earlier this year when I was reporting on borderland jaguars. Related These photos are literally saving jaguars Some of the recordings are pretty incredible. In this clip, for example, a young puma, or mountain lion, makes a chirping sound, likely calling for its mother. Courtesy of Ganesh Marín Or check out this jaguar approaching the camera. This particular cat is known as Bonito. Scientists first detected this cat in 2020 and can identify him by his markings. Courtesy of Ganesh Marín Marín's cameras detected another jaguar, as well, called Valerio. He was seen by cameras multiple times in a protected area known as Cuenca Los Ojos just south of the border in Sonora. Courtesy of Ganesh Marín The camera traps caught black bears and their cubs… Courtesy of Ganesh Marín Courtesy of Ganesh Marín …bobcats and coyotes… Courtesy of Ganesh Marín Courtesy of Ganesh Marín …and even an ocelot, an elusive predatory cat. Courtesy of Ganesh Marín Analyzing the videos ultimately revealed several important details about wildlife in the borderlands. Marín found that large mammals, such as black bears and deer, as well as some smaller herbivores, spend less time near the border than in other, more remote stretches of his study region. That suggests these animals avoid border infrastructure. Other species, like the pronghorn, which have been seen on the US side of the border, didn't appear in his cameras at all. That may be because they have trouble crossing a highway that runs roughly parallel to the border in Sonora, according to Marín and his co-author, John L. Koprowski, a biologist at the University of Wyoming. Meanwhile, smaller common predators like coyotes and bobcats appeared more tolerant to human activity: They were more likely to use habitats with cattle, cars, and dirt roads, according to the footage. The study adds to a growing body of research showing that the border and infrastructure around it is disrupting wild animal communities.
