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Botanists Document Biodiversity Along Divided US-Mexico Border

Volunteers use iNaturalist app to identify species and advocate for ecosystem protection amid challenges from crime and border security.

Bright yellow blooms carpet the ground, a sharp contrast to the imposing steel bollards of the border wall topped with rolls of razor wire as members of the California's Baja Rare conservation project lead a botanical expedition with botanists and citizen scientists to document native plants along the U.S.- Mexico border on Friday, April 19, 2024, in the Ejido Jacume in the Tecate Municipality of Baja Calif., Mexico. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
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Overview

  • Over 1,000 volunteers participate in Border Bioblitz to record plant and animal species.
  • The initiative responds to habitat destruction from border wall construction.
  • Data gathered aims to support conservation efforts and highlight overlooked biodiversity.
  • Crime and restrictive permits in Mexico pose challenges for scientists.
  • The region hosts unique species, some thriving better south of the border.