Corridors and Crossings

Known worldwide as an ecotourism destination for its rich biodiversity, the Pantanal biome is home to many of Brazil’s quirky and elegant, iconic species such as the feathery tailed, gentle-looking giant anteater, the stub-nosed, water-loving capybara (the world’s largest rodent!), and the tapir—a three toed ungulate with an elongated snout that is most closely related to the rhinoceros. But wildlife habitat in and around this vast, tropical landscape is gradually shrinking as land is cleared for production of some of the country’s biggest exports such as beef and soybeans. And wildlife movement is increasingly hampered by highways.

With complex, sprawling ranges across the high mountains of South and Central Asia and low population densities, snow leopards are an elusive species. Over the last decade, however, urban centers and communities surrounding their habitats have become increasingly connected, with many more investments in infrastructure on the horizon. How can new linear infrastructure—including roads, railways, and power lines—meet human needs while protecting snow leopards, their prey, and the fragile ecosystems they depend on to survive?