Assessment of the existing National Highway – 7 and its proposed widening on habitat use and movement of wild animals in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh.

Abstract

The construction of roads and railways change the natural landscape along the entire length of the road, or railway line, apart from fragmenting the landscape. Compared to national highways, narrow country roads have more intense network ad its penetration into the wild habitat is deeper and the adverse effect is therefore manifold as compared to a single national highway. mobility of people and transportation of goods is an integral component of globalization and economic opportunity, road infrastructure that enhances connectivity among people also results in increased habitat fragmentation which is recognized as the largest single threat to biological diversity