Have you ever seen a young palm tree growing in the space between concrete barriers along the highway, or a prickly pear cactus blooming on top of an electrical pole? Nature, plant or animal, is struggling, and sometimes failing, to adapt to the world we are constantly changing.
Driving west to Mission, we cringed as we reached the construction zone entering McAllen. We had missed the worst of rush hour so traffic was moving relatively swiftly. As we moved into the center lane, we saw something that brought awe and wonder. A pair of black-bellied whistling ducks were escorting their four ducklings looking for a new, safe home.
After a split second, our hearts sank. A pair of black-bellied whistling ducks were escorting their four ducklings looking for a new, safe home, in the center median of the worst road construction in the valley. Tons of steel whizzing by on one side and a three-foot concrete barrier on the other. As I wondered if I saw what I saw, a hundred yards or so later, the three-foot median space dwindled down to a three-inch white stripe.
I once saw a large dog, maybe a Dobermann or Great Dane, in the same problem as I was leaving downtown Houston. As cars pointed and stared in disbelief, the center lane moved over to give the dog some space. With seven lanes of traffic, it was easier to do than the two trapped lanes in McAllen. As I moved over and wondered what might happen to the poor dog, I saw a police car in my review mirror cut across traffic, slow to a crawl behind the dog and turn on its lights. The officers positioned themselves to escort and protect the dog as best as they could. The duck family likely would not be so lucky.
On the return trip, our thoughts returned to the duck family. I wish I could say we stopped to save the ducks but putting the lives of my family in danger to save the ducks would not have been the right thing to do…but it does not make me feel any better. Maybe someone with authority stopped to help. Maybe there was a gap in the concrete barriers that allowed them to cross safely. Maybe I did not see what I saw, and instead saw some trash piled up in the median that was moving with the wind.
As I think of the obvious fate of the poor duck family, I feel the same as when I see the remains of animals that did not survive an encounter with our roads. Or when I see a ‘for sale’ sign on a pristine piece of land where I know bulldozers will clear the property of ancient plants and doom the lives of creatures living there. In return they will build a sterile landscape, void of any complex ecosystem or native habitat.
But I, and like so many others, will continue to slow down at duck crossing signs. We will stop when we can to save a turtle crossing a farm road. We will continue to champion our unique RGV native plants and habitat. Together we can find a way to balance progress and development with supporting our environment and wildlife.
