Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R). Assertion (A): Mammals and birds requiring large territories are badly affected when large habitats are broken up into small fragments. Reason (R): Habitat fragmentation disrupts the continuous areas needed for their large territories and migratory habits, leading to population declines. In the light of the above

Step-by-step solution

According to NCERT, habitat loss and fragmentation is the most important cause driving animals and plants to extinction. When large habitats are broken up into small fragments due to various human activities, mammals and birds requiring large territories and certain animals with migratory habits are badly affected. This happens because fragmentation breaks the continuous expanses of land they need to forage, breed, and migrate, which directly leads to population declines. Therefore, both the Assertion and the Reaso