The Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, all while facing the threat of border wall construction. The Trump administration’s proposed wall would cut through the refuge and add an impenetrable barrier on top of an already existing levee. This wall would impede the recovery of ocelot and could result in drowning wildlife, like the state-protected Texas tortoise. It would also impact public use and enjoyment of the refuge as the wall would block access to a majority of the land.
Supporters of Santa Ana and those who oppose a border wall cutting through this precious habitat are taking a stand.
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What: |
Stop the Wall: Rally to Save Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge |
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Who: |
U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela (D-Texas) represents the 34th congressional district of Texas, which includes Santa Ana. He is the top Democrat of the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security and is co-chairman of the Congressional Border Caucus. Bryan Bird is the Southwest program director for Defenders of Wildlife. Bryan has more than 20 years of experience protecting and restoring public lands while preserving wilderness and biodiversity across the Southwest and northern Mexico. |
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When: |
Saturday, January 27 from 11 am to 2 pm CST |
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Where: |
Field adjacent to Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge 3325 Green Jay Rd Alamo, Texas 78516 |
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Why: |
Santa Ana, as well as the entire Rio Grande Valley, is home to rare species only found in South Texas and serves as a crucial wildlife travel way that links to other reserves along the Rio Grande and into Mexico. At least eight species protected under the Endangered Species Act live in the refuge and it is one of the world’s top bird destinations with more than 400 species of birds. Santa Ana’s incredibly rich landscape contains some of the last remnants of subtropical forests in the U.S. This “jewel” of the National Refuge System attracts more than 165,000 visitors annually while helping to sustain the economies of Alamo and nearby communities. |
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For more information, please contact: Rebecca Bullis, 202-772-0295, rbullis@defenders.org |
For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America’s wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.
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