Sites vital for wildlife under threat from roads, power lines and urban build-up, study finds

Infrastructure is deemed to be one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, according to conservationists. Picture: Thinkstock

Thousands of sites across the world deemed vital for wildlife to thrive amid a biodiversity crisis are marred by roads, power lines, and urban build-up, a major study has found.

Researchers examined more than 15,000 so-called "key biodiversity areas" (KBAs) across the world, and found 80% contained infrastructure, with the most common being roads (75%), power lines (37%), and urban areas (37%).