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ToolsQuintana, Itxaso, Cifuentes, Edgar F., Dunnink, Jeffrey A., Ariza, María, Martínez-Medina, Daniela, Fantacini, Felipe M., Shrestha, Bibek R. and Richard, Freddie-Jeanne (2022) Severe conservation risks of roads on apex predators. Scientific Reports, 12. ISSN 2045-2322
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Abstract
The global expansion of road networks threatens apex predator conservation and ecosystem functioning. This occurs through wildlife-vehicle collisions, habitat loss and fragmentation, reduced genetic connectivity and increased poaching. We reviewed road impacts on 36 apex predator species and assessed their risk from current roads based on road exposure and species vulnerability. Our findings reveal all apex predators are exposed to road impacts. Eight of the ten species with the highest risk occur in Asia, although other high-risk species are present in the Americas, Africa and Europe. The sloth bear suffers the highest risk of all apex predators, followed by the tiger and dhole. Based on species risk from roads, we propose a widely applicable method to assess the potential impact of future roads on apex predators. We applied this method to proposed road developments in three areas: the Brazilian Amazon, Africa, and Nepal, to locate high-impact road segments. Roughly 500 protected areas will be intersected by these roads, threatening core apex predator habitats. We advocate the need for rigorous road development planning to apply effective mitigation measures as an urgent priority and to avoid construction in wilderness areas and predator strongholds.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | Data availability: The authors declare that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the paper and its supplementary information files. All analyses were performed using publicly available datasets referenced in the Methods section of this manuscript. Funding information: The project was financially supported by the European Commission through the program, Erasmus Mundus Master Course—International Master in Applied Ecology (EMMC-IMAE) (FPA 2023 – 0224/532524-1-FR- 2012-1-ERA MUNDUS-EMMC) – Coordination F-J Richard, Université de Poitiers. |
| Faculty \ School: | Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences |
| UEA Research Groups: | Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Environmental Biology |
| Related URLs: | |
| Depositing User: | LivePure Connector |
| Date Deposited: | 19 Mar 2025 09:30 |
| Last Modified: | 17 Apr 2025 00:24 |
| URI: | https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/98793 |
| DOI: | 10.1038/s41598-022-05294-9 |
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