Around the world, certain areas are set aside for conservation, providing animals with protected spaces as civilization continues to encroach on their natural habitats. But scientists warn that human development outside such spaces is making it difficult for even the animals inside those sanctuaries to thrive.

What's happening?

Researchers have found that in protected zones surrounded by human development in China, "major losses in biodiversity" have occurred.

Using camera traps to analyze species locations and population sizes, they discovered that large apex predators, such as tigers, were often the first to be impacted due to limited mobility caused by human-modified environments, according to a mid-June release from North Carolina State University.

Oftentimes, larger animals move between protected areas that are separated by a "matrix" — the land between those preserves. Those matrices can be important because the animals need to roam. But when their movement is greatly impeded due to overdevelopment or deforestation, biodiversity can decrease as pressures mount.

"Larger species are going to need more space, and one way they can get that is to move from one protected area to another. The other way is to just use areas outside of protected areas,"  co-author Roland Kays, a research professor at NC State, said of the study published in the journal Current Biology. "As those spaces get more and more developed, these larger species just aren't going to be able to move around in the way they need to, and you will start to lose them."

Researchers found that apex predators had become extinct in about 84% of conservation areas in China, signaling the severity of the impacts of human development on biodiversity. 

Why is this declining biodiversity concerning?

Biodiversity loss is bad news for everyone — humans also depend on the benefits provided by rich ecosystems. These can include clean water and air, fertile soil, pollination, abundant fresh food, carbon sequestration, disease mitigation, recreation, and more.

Apex predators such as tigers play a crucial role in maintaining balanced ecosystems by regulating prey populations and influencing plant life. The web of life depends on these healthy interactions and relationships; when even one piece of this web is severed, it can trigger a chain reaction in other parts of the ecosystem.

As animals struggle to survive in increasingly smaller spaces, they may venture closer to human settlements, making human-wildlife encounters much more likely. Worldwide, people are noticing large animals such as bears and moose roaming in their neighborhoods and residential areas, and many believe the increasing pressures on the environment are to blame. If tigers manage to escape from protected areas, motivated by their limited mobility there, it could be dangerous for humans and smaller species. 

What's being done to protect conservation zones?

A World Wildlife Fund report previously found tiger populations to be on the rise in some parts of China, highlighting that conservation efforts can be successful when animals are given ample space to thrive. A reintroduction of apex predators could help restore biodiversity, benefiting the land, the animals, and the people who live near protected wildlife corridors.

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Wildlife crossings have proven effective in connecting fragmented habitats and increasing animals' chances of survival as they move between these spaces. Something similar could likely be implemented to help large species in China and anywhere unprotected matrices pose risks to mobile animals, especially apex predators.

The co-authors wrote that their "findings emphasize that future conservation plans must extend beyond [protected area] boundaries to establish well-connected networks and must prioritize apex predator recovery or reintroduction," noting that "these initiatives have global significance for scaling up conservation efforts and achieving the '30 by 30' targets for [protected areas]," referring to the goal of protecting 30% of Earth's lands, oceans, and freshwaters by 2030.

Funding efforts to grow conservation zones globally and locally as well as establishing reasonable policies to regulate hazardous development nearby could support apex predator populations and the biodiversity on which all life relies.

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