Early spring started off wet after a super-dry winter, but the warmth turned into a scorching summer. Hopefully, this coming winter will bring lots and lots of snow.
What we are seeing is part of a global trend toward extreme temperatures, and the heat is taking its toll on our ecosystems. Here in Mora, we can see for ourselves how the heat bakes the ground, drying up the soil and shrinking the water table.
In New Mexico, water is our most precious resource. When natural watering holes dry up, animals are forced to travel long distances just to survive. We must protect our water supply—it is life. Trees are dropping their fruit early, and green leaves are falling straight off the branches just to survive the intense heat. Insect populations have fallen dramatically, leaving birds and small mammals starving.
Continued heat will affect everything—insects, birds, reptiles, and mammals alike—and some species could face extinction. Wildlife advocates often urge residents to set out bowls of water, even if they don’t have pets. However, you have to weigh the consequences when it comes to bears; once they find water, they will come back expecting a sip—and maybe a bite to eat.