The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word SURROUNDINGS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
S
U
R
R
O
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D
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More clues leading to the result SURROUNDINGS
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "habitat" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case habitat = surroundings.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does SURROUNDINGS mean?
SURROUNDINGS noun- An outlying area; area in proximity to something
- An environment
- The area surrounding someone or something, together with the objects and circumstances in the vicinity; the environment or ambiance.
- All parts of the universe that are not within the thermodynamic system of interest.