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http : //www . enn . com/extras/printer-friendly . asp ?storyid=45299 <br /> 41 p_j <br /> Wildlife corridors do have their drawbacks , however . If populations and <br /> genes can mix , so can diseases . Corridors are also relatively expensive <br /> and difficult to create , involving many levels of government as well as <br /> farmers , industry , and property owners . But in spite of the problems , <br /> many ecologists feel that creating such corridors is essential to help slow <br /> the worldwide loss of biodiversity . <br /> At present , a series of wildlife corridors is being designed for Central <br /> America in what is one of the largest conservation projects ever <br /> attempted . The project spans eight countries , from Mexico to Panama , <br /> and seeks to blend existing parks with buffer zones and protected <br /> corridors , creating a web of biological passages that will allow species to <br /> migrate from one area to another . Many conservationists feel that the <br /> project is an important test case because it ' s taking place in poor tropical <br /> countries , where the greatest diversity of life exists but where biodiversity <br /> is also under the greatest threat . If successful , such projects could <br /> expand to South America , Asia , and Africa . <br /> Creating wildlife corridors is not the ultimate solution to slowing the <br /> worldwide loss of biodiversity , but it is an important step in the right <br /> direction . Protected areas alone will offer scant real protection if they are <br /> too small to provide enough habitat or genetic diversity for species to <br /> successfully adapt to a constantly changing world . <br /> Copyright 2001 — Environmental News Network <br /> Any reprinting , rebroadcast or digital transmission of this <br /> work without written permission from Environmental News Network , Inc . is strictly prohibited . <br /> :)f 2 11 / 1 /2001 11 : 10 AM <br />