What contemporary human impact turns the Blue Wildebeest's ancient strategy into a vulnerability?
Fragmentation of ancient corridors by fences and roads
The evolutionary strategy that allowed the Blue Wildebeest lineage to thrive—massive, instinctive migration—now faces a critical contemporary threat. The survival of *C. taurinus* populations is heavily dependent on maintaining vast, interconnected ecosystems that permit this annual movement. However, modern human infrastructure, including fences, roads, and expanding settlements, physically fragments these traditional migration corridors. This fragmentation acts as a barrier, preventing the animals from following the routes necessary to access essential resources, thereby turning a formerly successful evolutionary adaptation into a significant contemporary vulnerability requiring dedicated conservation management.
