What is one method to protect endangered species?

Establishing protected areas or wildlife reserves is a fundamental strategy for conserving endangered species. These designated areas provide safe habitats where wildlife can thrive without the pressures of habitat destruction, poaching, or other human activities. By creating and enforcing boundaries around these regions, conservationists can ensure that ecosystems remain intact, allowing for stable populations of endangered species. These reserves often include critical habitats necessary for breeding, feeding, and sheltering various wildlife. Furthermore, protected areas can serve as refuges for species that are threatened by climate change and habitat loss, contributing significantly to biodiversity conservation efforts.

In contrast, encouraging urban development around habitats typically leads to habitat fragmentation and increased human-animal conflicts, which can endanger species further. Promoting unregulated hunting and fishing would directly threaten the survival of endangered populations by increasing mortality rates beyond sustainable levels. Increasing global tourism, if unregulated, can also harm critical habitats by introducing pollution, disrupting wildlife, and increasing the risk of disease transmission among populations.