Forest and Wildlife Resources

Question 1.
Name four animals and two species of flora which are on the verge of extinction.
Answer:
Animals and plants on the verge of extinction:
Four animals: Cheetah, pink-headed duck, mountain quail, forest spotted owlet.
Two plants:

1. Wild mahua (madhuca insignis)

2. hubbardia heptaneuron (a species of grass).

Question 2.
Name six groups of flora and fauna under which they are classified by International
Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).
Answer:

1. Normal species
Species, whose population levels are considered to be normal for their
survival.
2. Endangered species
Species, which are in danger of extinction because their population is
declining. For example, Black buck, Indian rhino, lion-tailed macaque and
Indian wild ass.
3. Vulnerable resources
These are the species whose population has declined so much that they
are likely to move into endangered category in the near future, if
negative factors continue to operate. For example, Blue sheep, Asiatic
elephant, Gangetic dolphin.
4. Rare species
Species with small population. If care is not taken they may also
become endangered species. For example, Himalayan Brown bear,
desert fox, wild Asiatic buffalo, hornbill.
5. Endemic species
Species which are only found in particular areas usually isolated by
natural or geographical barriers. For example, Andaman teal, Nicobar
pigeon, Andaman wild pig.
6. Extinct species
These are species which are not found after searches of known or likely
areas where they may occur, i.e., the species which were existing earlier,
but are not seen today.

Question 4.
Name any four resources which are obtained from our biodiversity.
Answer:
The resources are: wood, rubber, medicines and dyes.
Question 5
Write four major reasons for the depletion of forest cover.
Answer:

1. Deforestation for agricultural purposes.

2. Shifting cultivation which is still practised in substantial parts of tribal
belts.
3. Large-scale development of river valley projects.
4. Mining activities have also resulted in deforestation. For example, the
tiger reserve in West Bengal is seriously threatened by the ongoing
dolomite mining.
5. Environmental pollution and forest fires have also led to depletion of
forests.

Question 6.
Write three adverse impacts of dolomite mining in the Buxar Tiger Reserve on the
ecosystem.
Answer:
Adverse effects of dolomite mining in the Buxar Tiger Reserve:

1. It has caused ecological damage.

2. It has blocked the migration route of several species.
3. It has disturbed the natural habitat of many species.

Question 7.
List six factors which have led to the decline in India’s biodiversity.
Answer:

1. Habitat destruction
2. Over-exploitation
3. Environmental pollution
4. Forest fires
5. Hunting and Poaching
6. Poisoning

Question 8.
Write four most important causes of environmental destruction/degradation.
Answer:

1. Unequal access to resources.

2. Inequitable consumption of resources.
3. Differential sharing of responsibility for environmental well being.
4. Over-population.

Question 9.
“The destruction of biodiversity is highly correlated with the loss of cultural
diversity.” Give four facts to support this statement.
Answer:
Such losses have:

1. Increasingly marginalised and impoverished many forest dependent

communities.
2. Among the poor, women are affected more than men, for women bear
the major responsibility of basic subsistence needs. With the depletion
of these resources, the drudgery of women increased for they had to
walk for more than 10 km to collect these resources which, in turn,
affected their health and negligence of home and children.
3. The indirect impact of degradation, eg. drought or floods etc. also hits
the poor the hardest.
4. Poverty is a direct outcome of environmental destruction.

Question 10.
Why do we need to conserve our biodiversity?
Answer:
Conservation of biodiversity is necessary because it:

1. Preserves the ecological diversity.

2. Preserves our life support systems, i.e., water, air and soil.
3. Preserves the genetic diversity of plants and animals for better growth
and breeding of species.
4. Fisheries too are heavily dependent on the maintenance of aquatic
biodiversity.

Question 11.
List various provisions made by “The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972” for
protecting habitats.
Answer:

1. An All India list of protected species was published.

2. The thrust was on protecting the remaining population of certain
endangered species by-
o banning hunting;
o giving legal protection to their habitats and
o restricting trade in wildlife.

Question 12.
Write four steps taken by the Government for conservation of wildlife.
Answer:
Five steps that have been taken to protect the wildlife in India:

1. Under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act 1972, an All India list of
protected species was published. The thrust was on protecting the
remaining population of certain endangered species by –
o banning hunting,
 o giving legal protection to their habitats and
o restricting trade in wildlife.
2. Many wildlife sanctuaries have been developed and National Parks have
been set up.
3. Many projects have been started for protecting specific animals which
were gravely threatened, eg. Project Tiger, One-horned Rhino, the
Kashmir Stag (hangul), three types of crocodiles —the fresh water, salt-
water and Gharials, the Asiatic Lion, etc.
4. Most recently, some animals have been given full or partial legal
protection against hunting and trading throughout India, eg., Indian
elephant, black buck, great Indian bustard and the snow leopard, etc.
5. Setting up of biosphere reserves for conserving flora and fauna in their
natural surroundings and protection of wetland ecosystems is another
step taken in this direction.

Question 13.
Which agency manages forests in India? Name three broad categories in which the
forests are classified.
Answer:
The forests in India are owned and managed by the Government through the Forest
Department.
They are classified under the following categories:

1. Reserved Forests
2. Protected Forests
3. Unclassed Forests

Question 14.
What are ‘Permanent Forest Estates’ and why? Which state has maximum forest
cover falling under this category? Write its percentage share in the total forest area
Reserved forests Protected forests

1. Almost V3 of the total forest area is protected

1. They cover more than half of the total forest area.
forest.

2. They are most valuable from the point of view of 2. These forest lands are protected from any further

forest and wildlife conservation. depletion.

of this state.
Answer:
Reserved and protected forests are referred to as the Permanent Forest Estates
maintained for the purpose of producing timber and other forest produce.
Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under permanent forests, constituting 75% of
its total forest area.

Question 15.
Write the major differences between reserved and protected forests.
Answer:
Difference between Reserved and Protected forests

Question 16.
Name five states which have large reserved and protected forests respectively.

Answer:
Five states having large percentages of reserved forests are: Jammu and Kashmir,
Andhra Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra.
Protected Forests: Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa and Rajasthan.

Question 17.
What are unclassed forests? Name two areas which have high percentages of their
forests as unclassed forests.
Answer:
Unclassed forests are the other forests and waste lands belonging to both
Government and private individuals as well as local communities.
Two areas with high percentage of unclassed forests are: North-Eastern states and
parts of Gujarat.

Question 18.
Write three examples of conservation of biodiversity at community level. (2025)
Answer:
Three examples of community participation:

1. In ‘Sariska Tiger Reserve’, Rajasthan, villagers have fought against

mining by citing the Wildlife Protection Act. In many areas, villagers
themselves, are protecting habitats and explicitly rejecting Government
involvement.
2. The inhabitants of five villages in the Alwar District of Rajasthan have
declared 1200 hectares of forest as the ‘Bhairodev Dakav Sonchuri’,
declaring their own set of rules and regulations, which do not allow
hunting, and are protecting the wildlife against any outside
encroachments.
3. The famous Chipko Movement in the Himalayas has successfully
resisted deforestation and has also shown that community afforestation
with indigenous species can be a great success.
Question 19.
Explain the ‘Beej Bachao Andolan’ and ‘Navdanya’ concept.
Answer:
Farmers and Citizens’ groups like the Beej Bachao Andolan in Tehri and Navdanya
have shown that adequate levels of diversified crop production without the use of
synthetic chemicals are possible and economically viable.

Question 20.
Write two characteristics of Joint Forest Management Programme and its two
benefits for the community. Which Indian state started this programme first of all
and when?
Answer:
Joint Forest Management Programme involves local communities in the
management and restoration of degraded forests. It was first started in Orissa in
1988.
Two characteristics: It depends on—

1. the formation of local (village) institutions that undertake protection

activities mostly on degraded forest land managed by the Forest
Department and
2. the local communities also work towards restoration of such degraded
forests.

Two benefits:

1. The members of these communities are entitled to intermediary

benefits like non-timber forest products.
2. They are also entitled to share in the timber harvested by ‘successful
protection’.

Question 21.
What is biodiversity? Why is biodiversity important for human lives? Give three
points.
Answer:
Biodiversity denotes variety of living beings, including all types of organisms, plants
and wildlife, diverse in form and functions but closely integrated in a system through
multiple network of interdependencies. Its importance: We humans along with all
living organisms form a complex web of ecological systems in which we are only a
part and are dependent on this system for our own existence. For example, the
plants, animals and micro-organisms recreate—

• the quality of the air we breathe,

• the water we drink and
• the soil that produces our food without which we cannot survive.
Forests play a key role in the ecological system as these are also the
primary producers on which all other living beings depend not only for
food but indirectly for many other forest produces which are used for
 varied purposes. So this biodiversity maintains an ecological balance
and our life support systems (air, water and soil).

Question 22.
Write a brief note on ‘Project Tiger’.
Answer:
‘Project Tiger’ was one of the well-published wildlife campaigns in the world,
launched in 1973. Initially it had shown an increase in tiger population till 1989 but in
1993 the tiger population dropped. There are 27 tiger reserves in India covering an
area of 37,761 sq km.

Tiger conservation has been viewed not only as an effort to save the endangered
species but with equal importance as a means of preserving biotypes of sizeable
magnitude. Corbett National Park, (Uttarakhand), Sundarbans National Park (West
Bengal), Bandhavgarh National Park (Madhya Pradesh), Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary
(Rajasthan) Manas Tiger Reserve (Assam) and Periyar Tiger Reserve (Kerala) are
some of the reserves in India.

Question 23.
Give an account of the forest cover in India.
Answer:
The dimensions of deforestation in India are staggering. The forest and tree cover in
the country is estimated at 79.42 million hectare, which is 24.16% of the total
geographical area (dense forest 12.2%; open forest 9.14%; and mangrove 0.14%).
According to the State of Forest Report (2015), the dense forest cover has increased
by 3,775 sq km since 2013. However, this apparent increase in the forest cover is
due to conservation measures, management interventions and plantation, etc., by
different agencies.

Question 24.
Give an account of the Himalayan Yew highlighting its importance.
Answer:
The Himalayan Yew is in trouble. The Himalayan Yew (Taxuswallachiana) is a
medicinal plant found in various parts of Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.
A chemical compound called ‘taxol’ is extracted from the bark, needles, twigs and
roots of this tree, and it has been successfully used to treat some cancers-the drug
is now the biggest selling anti-cancer drug in the world.

The species is under great threat due to over-exploitation. In the last one decade,
thousands of yew trees have dried up in various parts of Himachal Pradesh and
Arunachal Pradesh.

Question 25.
Give the main characteristics of the Asiatic Cheetah. Where has it gone?
Answer:
The world’s fastest land mammal, the cheetah (Acinonyxjubantus), is a unique and
specialised member of the cat family and can move at the speed of 112 km./hr. The
cheetah is often mistaken for a leopard. Its distinguishing marks are the long
teardrop shaped lines on each side of the nose from the comer of its eyes to its
mouth. Prior to the 20th century, cheetahs were widely distributed throughout Africa
and Asia. Today, the Asian cheetah is nearly extinct due to a decline of available
habitat and prey. The species was declared extinct in India long back in 1952.

Question 26.
‘33% of area should be under forests’. Justify the statement highlighting the
environmental values of forests.
Answer:
Forest area in the country is far lower than the desired 33% of geographical area, as
outlined in the National Forest Policy (1952). Forests are considered essential for
maintenance of the ecological balance. The livelihood of millions of people who live
on the fringes of these forests depend upon it.

Forests play a key role in the ecological system as these are also the primary
producers on which all other living beings depend. The forest preserves the
ecological diversity and our life support systems—water, air and soil. It also
preserves the genetic diversity of plants and animals for better growth of species
and breeding. The destruction of forests have marginalised and impoverished many
indigenous forest dependent communities. The indirect impact of degradation is
severe drought or induced floods. Poverty is a direct outcome of environmental
destruction.

Question 27.
Assess the need for the conservation of forests and wildlife in India.
Answer:
There is a need to conserve the forests and wildlife in India:

• Conservation of biodiversity is necessary because it preserves the

ecological diversity.
• Forests and wildlife preserve our life support systems, i.e., water, air and
soil. For example, the plants, animals and micro-organisms recreate the
quality of the air we breathe, the water we drink and the soil that
produces our food without which we cannot survive.
• It also preserves the genetic diversity of plants and animals for better
growth and breeding of species. For example, in agriculture we are still
dependent on traditional crop varieties.
• Fisheries too are heavily dependent on the maintenance of aquatic
biodiversity.
• Forests are primary producers on which all other living beings depend
not only for food but indirectly for many other forest produces which are
used for varied purposes.

2016
 Short Answer Type Question [3 Marks]

Question 28.
Describe the steps taken by the government to protect the species from becoming
extinct.
Answer:
The following are the steps taken by the government to protect the species from
being extinct.

• Implementation of Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act in 1972. According to

it a list of protected species in India was published to protect the
endangered species.
• Hunting and trade in wildlife has been banned to give legal protection to
their habitat.
• Various national parks and wildlife sanctuaries have been established
to give natural habitat to the species facing extinction.

2015

Short Answer Type Questions [3 Marks]

Question 29.
How are forests classified under different categories? Explain with examples.
Answer:
Forests are classified under different categories as follows.

• Reserved forests: More than half of the total forest land has been
declared
as reserved forests. They conserve forest and wildlife resources and are
regraded as the most valuable. .
• Protected forests: As declared by the Forest Department, one-third of
the total forest area is declared as protected forests. They are protected
from any further depletion.
• Unclassed forests: They are forests and wastelands belonging both to
the government and private individuals and communities.

Question 30.
How has the destruction of forests and wildlife resulted into the loss of cultural
diversity? Explain.
Answer:
The destruction of forests and wildlife resulted into the loss of cultural diversity in
the following ways.

• The destruction of forests and wildlife has affected the liveliood of

many communities, who are dependent on forests.
 • In some areas women are involved in fuel collection, fodder for their
animals and water for their domestic needs. Due to deforestation these
products are not available to them. It adversely affects the lives of such
people.
• The destruction of forests has resulted in severe droughts and floods,
which has affected forest-dependent communities. People live in
extreme poverty.
The conservation of forests and wildlife is essential to provide a better
quality of life.

Question 31.
When was the Indian Wildlife Protection Act implemented? Describe its main
objectives.
Answer:
The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act was implemented in 1972 for protecting habitats.
An all-India list of protected animals was also published.
Its main objectives are as follows.

• To protect the remaining population of certain endagered species by

banning hunting, giving legal protection to their habitats and stopping
trade in wildlife.
• The central and state governments established national parks and
wildlife sanctuaries.
• The central government also announced various projects like Project
Tiger and Project Rhino for protecting specific animals, which were
gravely threatened.

2014

Short Answer Type Questions [3 Marks]

Question 32.
Nature worship is an old-age belief. Explain how it has helped in the conservation of
forest and wildlife.
Answer:
Nature worship has helped in the conservation of forest and wildlife in the following
ways.

• The tribals believe in nature worship, which is based on the fact that all
creations of nature have to be protected. Such beliefs have protected
several forests from decay, cutting and felling of trees. They are called
Sacred Groves. Sacred qualities are also ascribed to mountains, springs
and plants.
• Certain communities revere a particular tree like Mundas and Santhal of
Chhota Nagpur region worship mahua and kadamba trees respectively.
• The tribals of Bihar and Odisha worship the tamarind and mango trees
respectively during weddings.
Question 33.
Distinguish between endangered species and vulnerable species of wild animals.
Give one example of each.
Answer:
Endangered species: Endangered species are the species which are in danger of
extinction. If the negative factors, which have caused their decline, continue to
operate, then survival of such species is difficult. For example, blackbuck. Vulnerable
species: Vulnerable Species are the species whose population has declined so much
that they may move into the category of endangered species in the near future, if the
negative factors continue to operate. For example, blue sheep.

Question 34.
Evaluate the role of large-scale development projects in accelerating the loss of
forests in India.
Answer:
Large-scale development projects have contributed to the loss of forests.

• Since 1951, over 5000 sq km of forests have been cleared for river valley
projects.
• Clearing of forests for Narmada Sagar Project would inundate 40,000
hectares of forest.
• Multi-purpose projects have also led to social movements like Narmada
Bachao Andolan and Tehri Dam Andolan, whose original focus was on
the trees, that would be submerged under dam water.

Question 35.
Distinguish between rare species and vulnerable species of animals with examples.
Answer:
Rare species: Rare species have a small population and can move into endangered
or vulnerable category, if the negative factors affecting them continue to exist, For
example, Asiatic buffalo.
Vulnerable species: Vulnerable Species are the species whose population has
declined so much that they may move into the category of endangered species in the
near future, if the negative factors continue to operate, for example, blue sheep.

Question 36.
Evaluate the role of large-scale developmental projects in accelerating the loss of
forests in India.
Answer:
Large-scale developmental projects have contributed significantly.to the loss of
forests.

• Since 1951, over 5,000 sq km of forests were cleared for river valley
projects.
• Clearing of forests is still continuing because of new projects like the
Narmada Sagar Project in Madhya Pradesh.
 • Mining activities are also disturbing the national habitats of major
species, who live in forests.

Question 37.
Distinguish between rare species and endemic species. Give one example of each
category.
Answer:
Rare species: Rare species have a small population and can move into the category
of endangered or vulnerable species, if the negative factors affecting them continue
to exit. For example: Asiatic buffalo.
Endemic species: Endemic species are only found in certain areas, which are
isolated by geographical or natural barriers. For example: Nicobar pigeon.

Long Answer Type Question [5 Marks]

Question 38.
Why do we need to conserve our forests and wildlife? Explain any two steps taken by
the government to protect forest and wildlife resources.
Answer:
We need to conserve our forests and wildlife because of the following reasons.

• Conservation preserves the ecological biodiversity and our life support

systems—water, air and soil.
• It also preserves the genetic diversity of plants and animals for better
growth of species and breeding.
• If protection is not given then many plants and animals can move into
the ‘ categories of vulnerable and endangered species.

To protect forests and wildlife resources the government has taken the following
steps.

• Central and state governments established natural parks and wildlife

sanctuaries. They also took up projects like Project Tiger.
• In 1972, the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act was implemented, with
various provisions of protecting habitats.
• Steps have been taken to protect the remaining population of certain
endangered species by banning hunting, giving legal protection to their
habits and restricting trade in wildlife.

2012

Short Answer Type Questions [3 Marks]

Question 39.
Analyse the involvement of different traditional communities to conserve their own
natural habitats in India.
Answer:
Conservation strategies are not new to India. Local communities have been
struggling to conserve their natural habitat. In Sariska Tiger Reserve,
Rajasthan, villagers have fought against mining by citing Wildlife Protection Act.
They themselves protect their habitats. Villagers in Alwar district of Rajasthan have
declared 1,200 hectare of forest as Bhairodev Dakav Sonchuri and do not allow
hunting. The famous Chipko Movement in Himalayas is the result of community
participation in protecting their habitat.

Question 40.
How have human activities affected the depletion of flora and fauna? Explain
with three examples.
Answer:
The following points sum up the role of human activities in the depletion of flora
and fauna.

• People directly or indirectly collect wood, barks, leaves, rubber,

medicines, dyes, fuel, fodder, manure, etc. For them forests are
resource-obtaining areas.
• Mining has contributed largely to the depletion of flora and fauna.
• Development projects also have played an important role in the
depletion of flora and fauna.
• Effluents from the industries make the soil degradable.

Question 41.
Enumerate the features of Joint Forest Management Programme
Answer:
The following are the features of Joint Forest Management Programme, which
came into existence in 1988.

• Formation of local or village institutions, that undertake activities on

degraded forest land, managed by the forest department.
• Local communities involved in the management and restoration of
degraded forests.
• Intermediary benefits like non-timber forest produce and the share in the
timber harvested given to the members of the communities in return.

2011

Short Answer Type Questions [3 Marks]

Question 42.
How have human activities affected the depletion of flora and fauna? Explain with
three examples.
Answer:
The following points sum up the role of human activities in the depletion of flora
and fauna.

• People directly or indirectly collect wood, barks, leaves, rubber,

medicines, dyes, fuel, fodder, manure, etc. For them forests are
resource-obtaining areas.
• Mining has contributed largely to the depletion of flora and fauna.
• Development projects also have played an important role in the
depletion of flora and fauna.
• Effluents from the industries make the soil degradable.

Question 43.
Describe the methods of forest conservation.
Answer:
The forests can be conserved by the following ways.

• The cutting of trees in the forests must be stopped.

• Afforestation or special programmes like Vana Mahotsava should be
launched on grand scale.
• Forest conservation Act 1980 should be strictly implemented to check
deforestation

Question 44.
Write a brief note on ‘Project Tiger’.
Answer:
Project Tiger’ was one of the well-published wildlife campaigns in the world,
launched in 1973. Initially it has shown an increase in tiger population till 1989 but in
1993 the tiger population had dropped. There are 27 tiger reserves in India covering
an area of 37,761 sq km. Tiger conservation has been viewed not only as an effort to
save an endangered species but with equal importance as a means of preserving
biotypes of sizeable magnitude. Corbett National Park, (Uttarakhand), Sundarbans
National Park (West Bengal), Bandhavgarh National Park (Madhya Pradesh), Sariska
Wildlife Sanctuary (Rajasthan), Manas Tiger Reserve (Assam) and Periyar Tiger
Reserve (Kerala) are some of the tiger reserves in India.

Long Answer Type Question [5 Marks]

Question 45.
How is biological loss of forest and wildlife correlated with loss of cultural diversity?
Answer:
Biological loss of forest and wildlife correlated with loss of cultural diversity in the
following ways.

• Destruction of forests and wildlife has affected the livelihood of many

communities which are directly dependent on forests.
 • They depend on forests for their food, medicine, water, livelihood and
cultural traits.
• In certain societies, women are involved in fuel collection, fodder for
animals and water for their basic needs. Due to large-scale
deforestation these forest products are not available to them and the
life of these people, especially women, is largely affected.
• Women have to go in search of food, water and fuel over long distances
leaving their family for a long time resulting in social tensions.
• t has resulted in severe droughts and floods which has affected these
communities adversely. These people live in extreme poverty, which is
the direct result of the environmental degradation. Conservation of
forests and wildlife is essential to provide better quality of life and
environment.

2010

Very Short Answer Type Question [1 Mark]

Question 46.
Which state has the largest area permanent forests?
Answer:
Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under permanent forests.

Question 47.
Analyse any four reasons for the depletion of forest resources in India
Answer:
The following are the four reasons for the depletion of forest resources in India.

• Large-scale development projects have contributed to the loss of forest.

Since 1951, 5000 sq km of forest was cleared for river valley projects.
• Agricultural expansion has been one of the major causes of depletion of
forest resources. According to the Forest Survey of India, between 1951
and 1980, over 26,200 sq km of forest area was converted into
agricultural land.
• A large part of the tribal belts in north-eastern and central India have
been deforested or degraded because of shifting cultivation, a type of
slash and burn agriculture.
(id) Rapid urbanization and industrialization have led to clearing of
forests.