Ecologist and wildlife veterinarian Gary Tabor advocates for conservation strategies that prioritize expansive, linked habitats over standalone protected areas to counter habitat fragmentation.
Roots in Timeless Wilderness
Roots in Timeless Wilderness (Image Credits: Imgs.mongabay.com)
Gary Tabor discovered his calling during nine summers at a rustic camp in New York’s Adirondack Mountains. He climbed all 46 peaks above 4,000 feet, known as the Adirondack 46er challenge, and forged a deep bond with the unchanged landscape protected by the state’s 1894 “Forever Wild” constitutional clause. That environment, which inspired figures like Bob Marshall to co-found The Wilderness Society in 1935, instilled in Tabor a vision of enduring natural systems.
Decades later, Tabor still returns to those mountains, climbing favorites like Giant Mountain more than 70 times. His experiences there highlighted how stable landscapes support wildlife and human well-being over generations. This foundation propelled him into a career blending veterinary science, ecology, and policy.
Lessons from African Parks
Tabor spent nearly a decade in East Africa, managing parks such as Kibale National Park in Uganda, Lake Nakuru in Kenya, and Serengeti in Tanzania. He witnessed how isolated reserves struggled against poaching, conflict, and resource demands. Elephants in Queen Elizabeth National Park, for instance, dwindled from over 5,000 to fewer than 400 during regional wars but began recovering through corridors linking habitats.
Up to 70% of wildlife in these areas required space beyond park boundaries. Fenced enclosures like Lake Nakuru severed animals from essential migration routes. Tabor recognized that true protection demanded attention to surrounding landscapes.
Pioneering Large-Scale Efforts
Returning to North America, Tabor co-founded the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, safeguarding over 24 million acres across the Rockies. In 2007, he established the Center for Large Landscape Conservation to combat fragmentation through science, policy, and networks supporting over 2,000 practitioners worldwide. The organization grew from two staff to 25 professionals under his leadership.
His initiatives include wildlife crossing structures that reduce collisions by over 90% and frameworks adopted in U.S. legislation and UN resolutions. Tabor chaired the IUCN Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group, uniting 1,300 scientists from 135 countries. He also advanced projects like China’s 4,000 corridors and India’s 16-km tiger flyover.
Overcoming Fragmentation’s Toll
Roads, fences, and development sever habitats, killing billions of mammals yearly in vehicle strikes. Tabor views fragmentation as a health crisis affecting humans, wildlife, and ecosystems. Solutions like the $100 million Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in California bridge these divides.
Policy progress includes the U.S. Western Governors’ 2007 agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework embedding connectivity in targets. Tabor emphasizes community involvement: “Connectivity conservation is about connecting people to connect nature.”
Key Takeaways
- Large landscapes enable species movement essential for survival amid climate shifts.
- Wildlife crossings and corridors yield measurable reductions in mortality.
- Global policies now prioritize networks over isolated protections.
Toward a Networked Future
After retiring as CEO of the Center for Large Landscape Conservation at the end of 2025, Tabor continues as a Cornell professor and IUCN chair. He envisions success measured by functional ecological networks, not just protected acreage. Over 50 nations now seek corridor assistance, signaling exponential growth.
Tabor plans to mentor emerging leaders, urging them to embrace risks and persevere. His work underscores conservation as community organizing for shared prosperity.
Gary Tabor’s emphasis on connectivity offers a durable framework for biodiversity in a fragmented world. What steps can communities take to support these networks? Tell us in the comments.
