Wildlife corridors are strategically located strips of land or water that connect larger, often fragmented habitats. These vital connections allow for the safe movement of animals, facilitating essential activities like foraging, breeding, and seasonal migrations.
Corridors are crucial for maintaining healthy populations by promoting genetic diversity, reducing the risk of inbreeding, and making species more resilient to diseases and environmental changes.
There are different types of corridors:
Linear corridors: Continuous strips of habitat.
Stepping stone corridors: A series of smaller habitat patches offering rest and resources for moving animals.
Landscape corridors: Broad areas encompassing various landscapes and allowing for wider species movement.
Importance of wildlife corridors
Reduced human-wildlife conflict: By providing designated routes, corridors help minimize the chances of animals straying into human settlements, reducing potential conflicts and ensuring greater safety for both humans and wildlife.
Mitigating effects of habitat fragmentation: Human development often fragments natural landscapes with roads, railways, and urban areas. Corridors help to counteract these disruptions, allowing animals to traverse fragmented areas safely.
Ecosystem health: Corridors are not just for large mammals; they support the movement of pollinators, birds, fish, and numerous other species. This wide-ranging movement strengthens the overall health and interconnectedness of ecosystems.
Corbett-Rajaji Corridor – Uttarakhand.
Kanha-Pench Corridor -Madhya Pradesh.
Bandipur-Nagarahole Corridor – Karnataka.
Periyar-Agasthyamalai Corridor – Kerala-Tamil Nadu.
Western Ghats Corridor – Western Ghats.
Eastern Ghats Corridor – Eastern Ghats.
Q5. Which of the following is not a type of wildlife corridor?
(a) Linear corridors
(b) Stepping stone corridors
(c) Landscape corridors
(d) Circular corridors
Answer: (d)
Q6. The Kanha-Pench Wildlife Corridor is located in which state?
(a) Uttarakhand
(b) Madhya Pradesh
(c) Karnataka
(d) Kerala
Answer: (b)
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