Habitat breakups put animal populations at risk

[Panich52]

DiscoveryNews

Genetic Islands Are Stranding Big Animals

Chopping up habitat into small patches or reserves has led to declines of many big animal populations.

http://news.discovery.com/animals/endangered-species/genetic-islands-stranding-big-animals-150911.htm?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dnewsnewsletter

[eppur_se_muova]

1. Small animals as well ...

one of the principal problems facing songbirds in the US is that so many forests have been cut down or broken up that they are forced to nest in isolated trees, or small groves, where they are much more visible to predators, and much less able to defend their nests, especially from other birds.

Some "undeveloped" woods in our area have been cut down recently to put up another large church building (yeah, we just don't have enough of those around here) with a huge cleared area (i.e. sterile, monoclonal grass lawn) around it. This year, I've only seen a couple of woodpeckers all Summer long. In previous years, I saw several yellowhammers at a time, downy woodpeckers in a mating dance, red-bellied woodpeckers (male and female), hairy woodpeckers -- every species of woodpecker in our area except the pileated, all in one Summer. This year I've only seen cardinals, robins and mockingbirds -- maybe one bluejay. Even Brewer's blackbird has stayed away, and we used to see flocks of those foraging. No brown thrashers. No towhees. No warblers. No nuthatches. I don't even think I've seen a red-winged blackbird this year, and those used to be as common as spit.

[hunter]

2. It's a big concern with what's left of the Santa Monica Mountain wilderness.

CALIFORNIA FREEWAY WILDLIFE CORRIDOR IS FEASIBLE, STUDY SAYS

LOS ANGELES -- Mountain lions and other animals would be able to cross a busy Southern California freeway and find new homes if the state adopts a proposal to build a long-planned wildlife bridge, according to a new study.

--more--

http://abc7.com/news/california-freeway-wildlife-corridor-is-feasible-study-says/968891

Also:

http://www.samofund.org/santa-monica-mountains-wildlife-preservation/park-connectivity-wildlife-corridor