Don't Fence Me In . . .

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Just read an NPR article on thier website that tells the plight of so many ungulates across the globe that are threatened by barbed-wire and other nuissances to the freedom to migrate (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105165068&ft=1&f=1025).

Here in Wyoming this becomes obvious once you see the rotting corpse of a pronghorn dangling from a barb on a cattle fence.



Though pronghorns (often called "antelope") can often slide under some fences, and are--despite common wisdom--sometimes able to jump barbed-wire fences (I've seen 'em do it), the proliferation of fences across the west, and across the world, are hindering the natural migrations of many species of animals, and thus endangering their existence.

If you've ever watched Dances With Wolves, you have some idea of the way of things across the Great Plains of America (Patala, the name the less damaging colonizers from India gave this land--see post, "Maybe Columbus Was Right After All . . ."). The great herds of Totanka (Lakota for "Bison") by the millions migrated across the expanse of the open prairie . . .

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That is, until the cruel decimation of these great herds by the colonizers from Europe, as is illustrated by this photograph of a pile of bison skulls that I believe I recall was taken in or near Cheyenne.



[by the way, one aspect of the Dances With Wolves cut I am not at all fond of is the use of the rifle, though I must admit that as a child I used to fantasize about going back in time and stopping the white man by bringing the Native American Indians guns--not a very good idea, in retrospect]

Regarding the division of the Great Plains by so many fences, I recall a plan that was proposed a few years ago that suggested connecting the many smaller refuges across the Midwest, from Minnesota to Oklahoma (if I recall correctly), in a great refuge with corridors that would allow the restoration of a migratory route for the American Bison.

Regarding the issue of the continued menace of fence-building across the West, largely caused by the irresponsible fencing of subdivided ranches into "ranchettes," a simple solution is to restrict the use of wildlife harming fences on these properties that are usually about 40 acres.



To build a barbedwire fence or other wildlife obstacles every few hundred yards equals death to many creatures that used to roam freely across the expanse of the land.

Species across the globe are hindered by the irresponsible building of fences.







Please consider, and give a shit folks!! Write your legislators and contribute by whatever means you might to stop the decimation of the majesty of the great migrating herds across the globe.

If you gotta buy your little piece of land to live out in the peaceful prairie or majestic mountains, don't fence it, and build a natural house without the use of toxic and environmentally damaging materials. Someday, the house you build will fall to ruin, and if there is fiberglass and other non-biodegradable materials, these will become a hazard for wildlife and the environment generally in years to come.









Consider the impact of every aspect of your actions and edifices on the land and the animals who live there!! Do the research, and live with minimal impact!! And in fact, these perameters ought guide all our lifestyles, whether we live in the cities or out in the wilder lands of our beautiful world.