Desert Squirrels Block Solar Energy

Courtesy Desert Tortoise Preserve CommitteeLittle Dixie Wash, near the junction of California Highways 14 and 178, is said to have the highest solarity index in North America. It's also protected habitat for the Mojave ground squirrel.

The gist.

The West Mojave Plan.

Comments

[Nature Ali]

Why do animals always get the short shrift in titles. How about this "Another Sprawling Project Threatens to Cause Another Species to Go Extinct!"
Solar and wind projects in the desert do absolutely nothing for Homeland Security. How about mandating all rooftops have solar mounted on them before destroying more habitat for a species that can't seem to stop abusing the only home it will ever have?

[SG]

Hi Ali. Thanks for the comment. I agree with you on all points except for the part about the title. That's precisely what makes this story interesting (compared to the sad, tragic, hopeless one we've all heard a thousand times about how ("Another Sprawling Project Threatens to Cause Another Species to Go Extinct!"). In this case the animals not only do not get short shrift, they get top billing. These little rodents are not sitting by passively while the dozers flatten their homeland in the name of progress, they are not being "caused to go" extinct, they are BLOCKING (note the active verb) man's seemingly relentless hunger for habitat destruction. Right?