Wildlife corridors and connectivity

By: Prof. Dr. Fazal Rehman Shamil | Last updated: September 12, 2024

1. What is a “wildlife corridor”?
a) A designated area where hunting is allowed
b) A natural or man-made passage that connects fragmented habitats, allowing wildlife to move between them
c) A zone where all wildlife is captured and relocated
d) A protected area with restricted human access
Answer: b) A natural or man-made passage that connects fragmented habitats, allowing wildlife to move between them

2. Why are wildlife corridors important for biodiversity conservation?
a) They increase habitat fragmentation
b) They allow animals to migrate, find resources, and maintain genetic diversity by connecting isolated populations
c) They limit animal movement to small areas
d) They promote habitat destruction
Answer: b) They allow animals to migrate, find resources, and maintain genetic diversity by connecting isolated populations

3. Which of the following is a common challenge in establishing wildlife corridors?
a) Ensuring connectivity between habitats in urban areas
b) Designing corridors that are too wide and natural
c) Managing wildlife populations that use the corridors
d) Increasing the number of wildlife habitats
Answer: a) Ensuring connectivity between habitats in urban areas

4. How can “corridor design” be optimized to benefit wildlife?
a) By creating narrow and heavily trafficked corridors
b) By ensuring corridors are wide, have natural features, and provide safe passage for wildlife
c) By placing corridors exclusively in agricultural areas
d) By avoiding any interaction with human settlements
Answer: b) By ensuring corridors are wide, have natural features, and provide safe passage for wildlife

5. What role do “buffer zones” play in wildlife corridor management?
a) They separate wildlife corridors from human activity to reduce conflicts and disturbances
b) They increase human access to wildlife corridors
c) They are areas where all wildlife is excluded
d) They reduce the effectiveness of wildlife corridors
Answer: a) They separate wildlife corridors from human activity to reduce conflicts and disturbances

6. Which of the following methods can help in creating effective wildlife corridors?
a) Clearing all vegetation along the corridor
b) Establishing corridors that connect large, diverse habitats and include ecological features like water sources
c) Fragmenting habitats further to create more corridors
d) Restricting animal movement through barriers
Answer: b) Establishing corridors that connect large, diverse habitats and include ecological features like water sources

7. What is “genetic flow” and how does it relate to wildlife corridors?
a) The movement of pollutants through wildlife corridors
b) The transfer of genes between isolated wildlife populations facilitated by corridors, which helps maintain genetic diversity
c) The spread of diseases among wildlife through corridors
d) The migration of animals without genetic changes
Answer: b) The transfer of genes between isolated wildlife populations facilitated by corridors, which helps maintain genetic diversity

8. How can “public involvement” contribute to the success of wildlife corridor projects?
a) By increasing wildlife poaching
b) By providing support for corridor planning, maintaining corridors, and promoting awareness about their importance
c) By opposing the creation of wildlife corridors
d) By reducing habitat connectivity
Answer: b) By providing support for corridor planning, maintaining corridors, and promoting awareness about their importance

9. What is “landscape connectivity” and why is it important?
a) The degree to which different landscapes are isolated from each other
b) The extent to which different habitats are connected and allow for animal movement and ecological processes
c) The process of converting all land to urban areas
d) The separation of different ecosystems to prevent animal movement
Answer: b) The extent to which different habitats are connected and allow for animal movement and ecological processes

10. What impact does “urbanization” have on wildlife corridors?
a) It enhances the effectiveness of wildlife corridors
b) It often fragments and reduces the effectiveness of wildlife corridors by creating barriers and altering habitat connectivity
c) It has no impact on wildlife corridors
d) It increases the size of wildlife corridors
Answer: b) It often fragments and reduces the effectiveness of wildlife corridors by creating barriers and altering habitat connectivity

MCQs on wildlife