Habitat fragmentation results from deforestation. It refers to the splitting of a large habitat into two or more smaller habitats with no way for the animals to travel between the forested lands. For example, a particular section of a vast forest may be cut down to make way for a city. The forest may then be spilt into two chunks by the city and, as a consequence, the species found within the forest are also cut off from one another -- unable to interact and interbreed.

A solution to this problem is to leave a corridor, or strip of trees, between the two fragments to allow the animals to travel between the two forests. This solution has become employed in many countries in recent years, including Costa Rica.