According to the passage, what is a primary goal of constructing urban wildlife corridors?

Accelerating urban sprawl has historically fragmented wildlife habitats into isolated, ecologically impoverished islands surrounded by impermeable asphalt and concrete. To reverse severe biodiversity attrition, landscape architects and conservation biologists are championing urban rewilding: the deliberate re-establishment of natural ecological succession and vegetative permeability within metropolitan zones. A cornerstone strategy is the construction of contiguous wildlife corridors, including vegetated green bridges over ring roads, daylighted streams, and uninterrupted pollinator highways along abandoned railway easements. These corridors facilitate genetic exchange among previously segregated animal populations, mitigate urban heat island phenomena through evapotranspirative cooling, and enhance stormwater retention during cloudbursts.

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: A. To connect fragmented habitats and enable genetic migration among wildlife populations.

  1. Step 1: Identify the primary purpose and ecological objective of urban wildlife corridors described in the passage.
  2. Step 2: The passage states that urban sprawl historically fragmented habitats into isolated islands, and that contiguous wildlife corridors "facilitate genetic exchange among previously segregated animal populations" across these fragmented zones.
Answer
To connect fragmented habitats and enable genetic migration among wildlife populations.

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