The study, published in Global Ecology and Conservation, also found that more than 40 percent of threatened species of birds and mammals have more than half of their range within a single type of vegetation, putting them at risk of extinction if these Critical habitats remain unprotected.

The Americas are home to some of the most biologically diverse regions in the world, yet face significant challenges due to habitat loss and degradation.

Although substantial protected areas exist, many smaller but crucial habitats within these landscapes remain unprotected, experts highlight.

They emphasize that to achieve the global protection goals of 30 percent, it is imperative to adopt holistic approaches that consider all habitat diversity, beyond goals based solely on territorial extent.

Additionally, they advocate intensifying efforts to accurately map critical vegetation types and species distributions, which will allow for more accurate conservation planning when combined with knowledge of emerging land-use threats.

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