We have chosen habitats 11 and 12 because their populations are below 50 and steadily decreasing; it is essential that we protect these areas so that the two populations do not go extinct. Similarly, habitats 13 and 14 hold decreasing populations. As a result. we must conserve corridors W, U, V, and T. Since U and V connect 11 and 12 to 13 and 14 , W connects these populations to habitats 15, 16, and 17, all holding stable populations. We will conserve these steady populations because it is important that the depleted and decreasing populations have access to healthy ones in order to increase genetic variability. We have also chosen to protect habitat 20 because although it is further from our other chosen areas, the location itself holds minimal data on jaguar population status. This area is critical for further research to determine if it is in danger or not. Likewise to corridor W, we will protect corridor T because this connects the decreasing populations to habitat 2 which is a large, stable population. It will be preserved like habitats 15, 16, and 17 to increase the jaguar population gene pool which allows for better adaptation and survival rates. Next to habitat 2, we will also conserve corridor A connecting to habitat 1 because although habitat 1 is currently stable, if this population were to become cut off from habitat 2 it would fall at risk to inbred populations. Additionally because it is located further north, this will allow for further jaguar migration and dispersal to different areas in the north. Next to habitat 2, we will protect habitats 3 and 4 due to decreasing population and by connecting them we hope to stabilize habitat 2 with more migration. Along these lines, corridor E will be conserved so that it may bridge together habitats 3 and 4 with 6, 7, and 8 to allow for dispersal of varied populations. Habitats 6 and 7 both contain populations that are below 50 animals and steadily decreasing, so conserving and connecting these to neighboring populations should preserve these populations from total extinction and allow them to grow. Finally, we will protect habitat 8 because it is the only piece of land connected to the decreasing populations in habitats 6 and 7, therefore allowing these populations to intermingle. This will help them to maintain a diverse gene pool and increase overall population size.
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