Habitats: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when discussing the natural living space of animals or plants.

• The destruction of natural habitats is a major threat to wildlife.
• Forests provide essential habitats for many species.

Used in a broader sense to refer to the surroundings or conditions where a person, animal, or plant lives or operates.

• The factory's emissions are harming the local environment.
• Children need a nurturing environment to grow and develop.

Often used to describe an area that an animal, person, or group considers their own, can also have political or geographical connotations.

• The wolf pack marked their territory by howling and scent marking.
• The explorers mapped the uncharted territory.

Used to refer to a place where people live, often implying a physical structure like a house or an apartment.

• She invited us to her humble dwelling in the countryside.
• The ancient ruins included some well-preserved human dwellings.

Used primarily in ecological and biological contexts to describe the natural environment of plants, animals, or other organisms.

• Forests and lakes are natural habitats for many species
• Climate change is affecting the habitats of polar bears