What is the most significant cause driving animals and plants to extinction?

Habitat loss and fragmentation

The correct answer is Option (3) – Habitat loss and fragmentation

Habitat loss and fragmentation are considered the most significant cause driving animals and plants to extinction. This process involves the destruction, degradation, and conversion of natural habitats due to human activities, such as deforestation, urbanization, agricultural expansion, and infrastructure development.

As habitats shrink or become fragmented, many species struggle to find suitable resources, mates, or safe areas to live, leading to population decline and increased vulnerability to extinction.

While pollution, over-exploitation, and natural disasters can also contribute to species declines and extinction events, habitat loss and fragmentation have a profound and long-lasting impact on biodiversity. By disrupting and reducing natural habitats, these activities threaten the survival of numerous plant and animal species and undermine the delicate balance of ecosystems.

Conserving and restoring habitats is a critical aspect of biodiversity conservation to mitigate the impacts of habitat loss and fragmentation on Earth's diverse life forms.