UPSC Prelims Marathon 19 August – PROTECTED AREA NETWORK – 2025

With reference to Wildlife Sanctuaries (WLS) in India, consider the following statements:
1.Wildlife Sanctuaries can be established by the State Government under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
2.Certain human activities, such as timber harvesting and the collection of minor forest produce, may be permitted inside Wildlife Sanctuaries.
3.The boundaries of Wildlife Sanctuaries are well-defined and cannot be altered without a resolution passed by the State Legislature.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to Conservation Reserves in India, consider the following statements:
1.Conservation Reserves are areas adjacent to National Parks or Wildlife Sanctuaries, created to protect landscapes and habitats.
2.They were introduced under the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2002.
3.The declaration of a Conservation Reserve requires prior consultation with local communities.
4.They are managed by the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to Community Reserves in India, consider the following statements:
1.They were introduced under the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002.
2.Any private land or community land can be notified as a Community Reserve, with the consent of the concerned individuals or community.
3.A Community Reserve is managed through a Community Reserve Management Committee.
4.Change in land use pattern within a Community Reserve can be made at the sole discretion of the State Government.
How many of the above statements are correct?

With reference to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR), consider the following statements:
1.Biosphere Reserves are admitted into the World Network by the International Coordinating Council (ICC) of UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme on the request of the concerned country.
2.Once included, a Biosphere Reserve cannot be delisted from the World Network.
3.The World Network of Biosphere Reserves was created in 1977 as the primary achievement of the MAB Programme.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to Biodiversity Hotspots, consider the following statements:
1.To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot, a region must have at least 1,500 species of vascular plants as endemics and must have lost at least 70% of its original habitat.
2.There are 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world.
3.Among the world’s “hottest hotspots”, Indo-Burma and Western Ghats/Sri Lanka are included.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, consider the following statements:
1.The MAB Programme was launched in the early 1970s to improve the relationship between people and their environment through an interdisciplinary approach.
2.Its governing body is the International Coordinating Council, which works in collaboration with the larger MAB community.
3.The implementation of MAB’s agenda on the ground is carried out exclusively by national governments through their respective environment ministries.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to the structure and zoning of Biosphere Reserves (BRs), consider the following statements:
1.The Core Zone of a Biosphere Reserve is strictly protected, free from human pressures, and only non-intrusive research and monitoring activities are permitted.
2.The Buffer Zone surrounds the core and allows activities such as limited tourism, grazing, fishing, and value addition to resources, provided they do not adversely affect the core zone.
3.The Transition Zone is the innermost part of a Biosphere Reserve, where settlements and croplands are located, and conservation is strictly enforced.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?