Deforestation means the destruction or loss of forests. It is one of the biggest threats to global biodiversity and causes a host of problems. The most significant problem is that it releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and accelerates climate change. It also destroys habitat and forces animals to move or find new areas for food, shelter, mates, and hiding from predators. In addition, deforestation alters water availability, and the soil can be eroded and leached of nutrients.
The main reasons for deforestation are farming and timber logging for commercial purposes. Industrial agriculture is the biggest contributor, clearing land for livestock pastures and crops like soy and palm oil. In order to meet increasing demand, this has been going on at an ever-increasing rate in recent years. Other reasons include logging for wood and paper, and to build infrastructure such as roads. Road building itself is a major cause of deforestation, as it allows people to enter previously inaccessible parts of the forest.
Animals that live in forest environments need large, connected areas of land for hunting and breeding. The destruction of their habitat has a variety of impacts on them, including reducing their numbers and driving species into extinction. It can also affect their ability to obtain water and food, and it changes their interactions with humans. For example, jaguars rely on contiguous forest habitats for hunting and mating, but when these forests disappear they are forced to hunt in closer proximity to human settlements where they can be killed.