Sanctuary/Biosphere Reserve

Total Questions: 50

31. Consider the following pairs: [I.A.S. (Pre) 2013]

	National Park	River flowing through the park
1.	Corbett National Park	Ganga
2.	Kaziranga National Park	Manas
3.	Silent Valley National Park	Kaveri

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

(a) 1 and 2
(b) Only 3
(c) 1 and 3
(d) None of these

Correct Answer: (d) None of these

Solution:Ramganga and Kosi rivers flow through Corbett National Park but river Ganga does not flow through Corbett National Park. Brahmaputra, Diphlu, Mora Diphlu and Mora Dhansiri are the rivers which flow through Kaziranga National Park. Kunthipuzha River flows through Silent Valley National Park. Hence none of them is correctly matched.

32. Govind National Park' includes: [Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2021]

(a) Source region of Bhagirathi river
(b) Source region of Bhilangna river
(c) Source region of Yamuna river
(d) Source region of Tons river

Correct Answer: (d) Source region of Tons river

Solution:Govind National Park (GNP) and Govind Pashu Vihar Wildlife Sanctuary (GWS) are part of high Western Himalayan highland situated in the Uttarkashi district of Uttrakhand. The protected area landscape lies between latitudes 35°55′-31°17′ N and longitude 77°47′-78°37′ E, covering an area of about 958 km2.

A part of the Upper Tones Valley was notified as a Sanctuary in 1955 while GNP was notified in 1991. The area comprises of Rupin and Supin valleys that form important catchment for the Tones River, the main tributary of Yamuna River.

33. Most of the wildlife protected areas in India are surrounded by- [Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2006]

(a) Dense forests
(b) Rivers and lakes
(c) Human settlements
(d) Mountains and hills

Correct Answer: (a) Dense forests

Solution:A National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), chaired by the Prime Minister of India provides a policy framework for wildlife conservation in the country. A network of 1022 Protected Area's has been established extending over 1,78,640.69 km² (5.43% of the total geographic area), comprising 106 National Parks, 573 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 123 Conservation Reserves and 220 Community Reserves. In India, most of the wildlife protected areas are surrounded by dense forests.

34. Today how many national parks are there in India, which has been established to protect wild animals? [R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 1993]

(a) 39
(b) 49
(c) 59
(d) 96

Correct Answer: (d) 96

Solution:At the time when the question was asked, there were 96 National Park in India. Currently, there are 106 National Parks in India.

National Parks are areas protected to conserve the environment, wildlife and ecosystems.
National Parks act as a safe habitat for flora and fauna and prohibits human activities like deforestation, industrialisation and hunting.
The National Parks play an important role in preserving biodiversity, wildlife conservation, protecting endangered species and maintaining ecological balance.
From Himalayan highlands to western ghats and sundarbans, India is one of the 17 megadiverse countries and safeguards the unique ecosystems.

The objectives of National Parks in India include:

Protecting endangered and threatened species and providing a safe sanctuary to reproduce and thrive.
Balancing and maintaining the genetic diversity of animal and plant species.
Maintaining ecological balance of regions and regulating ecosystems to prevent soil erosion and protecting water resources.
National Parks serve as natural laboratories for scientific research and study and monitor the ecosystems and conduct research on conservation strategies.
Spreads environmental education and awareness in visitors.

35. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using codes given below: [R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 2018]

	List - I (Protected areas of India)	List - II (number in year 2018)
A.	Community Reserves	i. 103
B.	Conservation Reserves	ii. 46
C.	National Park	iii. 544
D.	Wildlife Sanctuaries	iv. 76

Codes :

	A	B	C	D
(a)	ii	iv	i	iii
(b)	iii	ii	ii	iv
(c)	iv	iii	ii	i
(d)	iii	ii	iv	i

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e) None of the above

Correct Answer: (e) None of the above

Solution:According to ENVIS centre on Wildlife & Protected Areas, different protected areas of India and their strength in the year 2018 & 2020 & 2023, is given below :

	2018	2020	2023
Community Reserves	147	216	220
Conservation Reserves	89	94	123
National Park	104	104	106
Wildlife Sanctuaries	552	562	573

36. National Biological Garden of India is situated in– [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2014]

(a) Mumbai
(b) Lucknow
(c) New Delhi
(d) Bengaluru

Correct Answer: (c) New Delhi

Solution:In 1982, Delhi Zoo was officially renamed to National Zoological Park, with hopes that it could become a model for other zoos in the country. Wikipedia in its article 'Sightseeing in Delhi' termed the same park as National Biological Park. This could be the reason why it has been described as National Biological Garden. However, in the official website of this garden in Hindi it is entitled as 'Rashtriya Prani Udyan' and in English, it is entitled as National Zoological Park'.

37. India's first Dolphin Observatory is being built in: [66th BPSC Re-Exam 2020]

(a) Delhi
(b) Mumbai
(c) Bihar
(d) Odisha
(e) None of the above/More than one of the above

Correct Answer: (c) Bihar

Solution:Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary located in the state of Bihar, India. It was established to protect the endangered Gangetic river dolphins (Platanista gangetica gangetica). It is the only dolphin sanctuary in India.

Gangetic dolphins are highly adapted to life in freshwater and are found in the major rivers of the Indian subcontinent, including the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and their tributaries. Their survival is threatened due to various factors such as pollution, habitat destruction, dam construction, and accidental entanglement in fishing gear.

The sanctuary's main objective is to create a safe environment for these dolphins to breed and thrive. It also serves as an important site for scientific research and conservation efforts. In addition to Gangetic dolphins, the sanctuary is home to various other aquatic species and is a vital ecosystem for the local communities dependent on the river.

38. Which one of the following is the first National Park of India? [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2012, Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2011]

(a) Kanha National Park
(b) Dudhwa National Park
(c) Rajaji National Park
(d) Corbett National Park

Correct Answer: (d) Corbett National Park

Solution:Jim Corbett National Park is the first National Park of India. The other National Parks mentioned in the question with their respective establishment year are as follows-

National Park	Year of establishment
Corbett (Uttarakhand)	1936
Kanha (Madhya Pradesh)	1955
Dudhwa (Uttar Pradesh)	1977
Rajaji (Uttarakhand)	1983

39. Which of the following is the Oldest National Park in India? [Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2019]

(a) Kaziranga National Park
(b) Hemis National Park
(c) Rajaji National Park
(d) Jim Corbett National Park

Correct Answer: (d) Jim Corbett National Park