Living Planet: Connected Planet

Why do migratory species require special collaboration?

Habitat loss and fragmentation are primary threats to migra- tory species which, unlike non-migratory species, have less op- portunity to simply shift to alternative habitats, with their entire life cycle being dependent upon access to specific areas spaced along their migration corridor (Berger, 2004; Bolger et al. , 2008). Hence, while habitat loss to non-migratory species may reflect a proportional decline in population, the loss of critical

points for a migratory species may jeopardize the entire popu- lation. Even with only a smaller fraction of their route or total habitat destroyed, their ability to migrate, refuel or reproduce may become entirely compromised. In many cases migrating birds or ungulates have to leave areas seasonally as food sourc- es become depleted or inaccessible. Although less visible, this is the case for marine species as well.

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