Border wall slicing through Arizona wildlife corridor begins construction: A show of force for nothing'

"On a late summer day in September, the sound of cicadas pierced the profound silence in the sprawling grasslands and gently rolling hills of the San Rafael Valley in southern Arizona. But before long, the shrill buzzing gave way to the rumble of heavy machinery sculpting an unpaved road leading to the US-Mexico border. In the distance, a deer darted across the road and disappeared into a thicket of oak trees."

"The San Rafael Valley, south-east of Tucson, is considered one of the most biodiverse regions in North America. But in recent days, a towering black steel wall has begun to rise on the landscape. The Trump administration is forging ahead with plans to erect a 27-mile section of the border wall here, despite a legal challenge still playing out in the courts. When completed, the 30ft-high barrier will tear through one of the last pristine, unbroken grasslands in the west."

"Trump's pledge to build the wall between the US and Mexico was a top priority during his first term, but the 1,954-mile border is still full of gaps. Construction in this remote valley is among efforts in several states to fast-track new sections along the southern border. The new wall is intended replace low barriers that stop vehicles but still allow wildlife to get across. Even before construction began, many Arizonans worried about the plan's impact on the numerous wildlife species that regularly move between the two countries including jaguars, ocelots, bears and mountain lions."

The San Rafael Valley in southern Arizona comprises sprawling grasslands and rolling hills that support exceptional biodiversity. Heavy machinery and a fenced worker camp have appeared as construction progresses on an unpaved road toward the US-Mexico border. A 27-mile, 30ft-high steel barrier is being erected despite ongoing legal challenges and will replace lower vehicle-stopping fences. The new barrier will fragment one of the region's last unbroken grasslands and impede cross-border movement of jaguars, ocelots, bears, mountain lions and other species, raising significant ecological and conservation concerns.

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