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https://www.google.com/maps/place/Otero+Mesa,+New+Mexico/@32.4126447,-106.0224392,51599m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x86e0ddfb7f4f771b:0x30510d0c076b761
At first I thought open grasslands would be drab, but I couldn’t have been more wrong about Otero Mesa, an area we’re trying to protect near the Texas-New Mexico border. It was immediately clear to me that this area is truly wild. In a single day we saw more wildlife than I had seen all year: pronghorns, desert box turtles, four species of snakes (including a Western diamondback rattlesnake, pictured below), countless birds of prey (including the endangered aplomado falcon) and so much more.
The remnants of Otero Mesa’s prehistoric cultures can still be seen today. The area’s salt deposits made it a major Native American hub for various tribes dating back 10,000 years. Standing at the foot of Alamo Mountain, it was easy to imagine myself in an ancient setting. The view stretched on forever in all directions, and it would have been an ideal spot to watch for game or encroaching enemies. I stood there with a sense of solitude that I never imagined I would find on flat, open grasslands.
Not even the dreariest of lighting conditions could put a damper on my Otero Mesa experience. I was already sold on this magical location before the overcast day gave way to a picture-perfect rainbow and an explosive sunset. It was as if the mesa was showing off to prove that it is indeed worthy of being permanently protected.
source: http://wilderness.org/photographic-tour-through-some-new-mexico%E2%80%99s-unprotected-hidden-gems
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