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Reasons for Dispersal in Animals

Animal species need to disperse themselves for similar reasons as plant species. If there are too many individuals of a particular animal species in the same area, they will be in competition with each other. 
 

Flamingos, Kenya © Shirley Burchill
Birds, such as these flamingos in Kenya, can fly long distances for dispersal.

Eventually, either one or more of the following reasons will contribute to the death of many individuals in the population:
  • Lack of food.
  • Lack of oxygen (for animals in restricted water supply, for example).
  • Build up of waste, which can cause disease..
  • Overcrowding, which would allow disease to spread quickly through the population.

In general, animals can populate new areas more easily than plants since most animals are not rooted in one spot -they can move. Zebra move to find fresh grass on the savannah plains and birds can fly a long way to find food.

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updated on 04/01/08
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© Paul Billiet, Shirley Burchill, Alan Damon and Deborah James 2008