The University of New Mexico (UNM) recently hosted a pivotal panel discussion, “Wildlife Without Borders: Conserving Mammals Across the U.S. Southwest and Northwestern Mexico,” on November 6, 2025. This timely event brought together experts to address the urgent conservation needs and complex challenges facing the rich biodiversity of the transboundary region, underscoring the growing global interest in ecological preservation across political divides.
Uniting Nations for Wildlife: The UNM ‘Wildlife Without Borders’ Talk
The roundtable, held at UNM, featured a distinguished panel including Dr. Jesús Fernández, a Fulbright scholar and professor of taxonomy and systematics of biodiversity at the Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua; Dr. Jason Malaney, curator of biosciences at the UNM New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Sciences; Dr. Enrique Martínez Meyer, a professor at the Institute of Biology at the National Autonomous University of Mexico; and Dr. Cuauhcihuatl Vital García, a professor at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez. The discussion, moderated by historian Samuel Truett, emphasized that “Wildlife don’t know anything about the political world”.
Dr. Fernández highlighted the extraordinary biodiversity of the region, noting that the area intersected by the U.S.-Mexico border is home to over a thousand species of vertebrates, including 330 species of mammals. In both Chihuahua and New Mexico, 206 mammal species have been documented as having habitats and ranges that span across the international boundary. This immense richness makes the region a critical biodiversity hotspot, but its transboundary position inherently presents unique conservation challenges that necessitate collective action.
The Transboundary Challenge: Biodiversity on the Border
Experts delved into how various anthropogenic pressures, including poaching, habitat encroachment, and border infrastructure, profoundly affect mammals with transboundary distributions. The unique ecological landscape, characterized by “sky island” ecosystems, contributes to elevated species richness but also heightened endangerment and complex host-parasite dynamics. The panel stressed that for species persistence under changing environmental conditions, conservation policies must be “bi-national, science-based and collaborative”.
Dr. Fernández also advocated for enhanced efforts in data collection, including more robust museums and specimen collections, particularly in Southern New Mexico and Northern Mexico, to provide conservationists with a more comprehensive understanding of species and their needs.
Mexican Wolf Recovery: A Complex Binational Effort
A significant focus of the discussion was the ongoing effort to reintroduce and recover the Mexican gray wolf. Dr. Martínez Meyer shared his extensive experience, noting that the species was once on the brink of extinction in the 1970s and 1980s. While successful reintroduction programs have established a population in the southwestern United States, the path forward remains complex, especially concerning binational collaboration.
Dr. Martínez Meyer pointed out the “asymmetry in financial and human capacity” between the U.S. and Mexico for running such ambitious conservation programs. He called for consistent, bi-national efforts that are stable and not subject to changes in administration. The recovery plan aims to establish viable subpopulations in both countries, addressing threats like human-caused mortality and genetic diversity loss, though challenges remain in ensuring sufficient connectivity and resources, particularly for the Mexican population.
Bridging Divides: Data, Disease, and Border Infrastructure
The interconnectedness of human and wildlife health was another critical theme. Dr. Vital García emphasized that parasites can carry zoonotic diseases, meaning that cross-border communication, research, and collaboration are vital to slowing the spread of animal-borne diseases and protecting both human and animal communities. She stressed the need for “sharing these databases across the borders” and developing more advanced molecular diagnostics to identify pathogens affecting both humans and wildlife. The U.S.-Mexico Border Environmental Health Initiative (BEHI) highlights this need, working to integrate data and analyze linkages between human and environmental health across the region.
The physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border also pose a significant threat to wildlife movement and habitat connectivity. Studies indicate that border walls and other infrastructure can impede essential movements for numerous species, including jaguars, Sonoran pronghorn, and Mexican gray wolves, hindering their ability to find resources, mates, and adapt to climate change. While some small wildlife passages have been incorporated, they are often insufficient, and many species are unable to cross.
Charting a Future: Collaborative Conservation Strategies
The “Wildlife Without Borders” talk served as a crucial platform for scientists, policymakers, and conservationists to underscore the interconnectedness of ecosystems and the imperative for binational cooperation. The event highlighted that preserving the transboundary area is not merely a matter of will, but an “obligation”. As climate change continues to alter landscapes and stress wildlife populations, the need for coordinated, science-based conservation strategies that transcend political boundaries becomes increasingly trending and essential for the ecological future of the U.S. and Mexico. This news serves as a reminder of the ongoing and vital work needed to protect shared natural heritage.
