Human population growth and demands for open space and natural resources destroy the habitat wildlife needs for survival. Development can disturb whole ecosystems, with grave consequences for animal welfare and for conservation. HSI helps protect and create habitat to preserve wildlife populations.

In many places, there are too few areas of undeveloped wildlife habitat large enough to allow wildlife populations to maintain genetic variability. Populations may dwindle to a handful of individuals living in isolated pockets, separated by obstacles such as roads and urban development.

In Latin America, HSI is helping teach farmers to grow certified environmentally-friendly cacao on farms which provide habitat for wild animals and working with communities to develop ecotourism projects as non-extractive alternatives for increased economic income. In Australia, HSI is supporting the development of a network of wildlife conservation areas.