"Thousands of scientists expressed alarm this week at the expansion of the wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. A report in BioScience outlined the dangers of building a continuous and impermeable border wall, saying it would harm animals and plants in this sensitive region. The scientists cite bypassed environmental laws, habitat destruction, and losses to conservation and scientific research as the primary areas of concern.

The region is home to more than 1,500 native plant and animal species, including several endangered species. After posting the article, lead author Robert Peters of Defenders of Wildlife, a conservation advocacy group, put out a call for scientists to sign on to it. The report has 16 co-authors, including eminent scientists such as E.O. Wilson and Paul Ehrlich, and as of Tuesday has 2,700 signatures from almost 50 countries.

The border wall's construction and enforcement affects more than just the narrow strip around a physical wall. It also includes roads and access on both sides, as well as off-roading patrols, said Jennifer Miller, co-author and senior scientist at Defenders of Wildlife."

Kate Furby reports for the Washington Post July 24, 2018. [2]