[Objectives] In the context of protected area designation in China,“gaps” refer to small areas or plots located within or on the boundary of a designated functional space that do not align with the function of that space. Serving as a planning and management tool, these gaps enable national parks to flexibly coordinate differentiated land use functions. During the integration and optimization of protected areas and the establishment of national parks, these “gaps” were excluded from the boundary demarcation. However, there has been a lack of effective criteria to determine whether they should also be excluded from the scope of scientific research. [Methods] To investigate the impact of incorporating gaps into the study of suitable wildlife habitats, this study was conducted in Wuyishan National Park from April 2019 to September 2021, with the Silver Pheasant (Lophura nycthemera) as the model species. According to the presence or absence of gaps in the base map, the study designed two scenarios—no gaps and with gaps. The scenario of no gaps, which represents the conventional approach in studies of protected areas, involved omitting gaps from the research scope. In contrast, the scenario with gaps incorporated gaps into the analysis. [Results] (1) When gaps were excluded from the study, the suitable habitat for Silver Pheasants was 267.91 km² (Figs. 5 ~ 7), and the primary factor influencing their distribution was the distance to bamboo forests (Fig. 4). (2) When gaps were incorporated, the suitable habitat area decreased to 183.81 km² (Figs. 5 ~ 7), and the most influential factor shifted to the distance to coniferous forests (Fig. 4). (3) A comparison of the two scenarios revealed marked differences in both the area and distribution of suitable habitats for Silver Pheasants, depending on the inclusion or exclusion of gaps (Table 1, Fig. 7). The results obtained by incorporating gaps align more closely with the observed spatial configuration of the landscape. [Conclusion] It is recommended that when conducting scientific research related to protected areas or formulating relevant policies, efforts should be made to avoid being constrained by their physical boundaries. Instead, gaps should be incorporated into the research scope, and when necessary, a certain buffer zone should be established around these gaps and treated as an integrated whole with the protected area. This study can provide guidance for scientific research on national parks and protected areas, as well as offer a scientific basis and practical reference for functional zoning and the development of biodiversity conservation measures.