Chapter
2: Forest and Wildlife Resources
Choose the correct option:
Which one of the following is not considered a sacred tree in
India
(a) Peepal (b) Neem (c) Dates Palm (d) Mango
The Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal has been threatened about
the loss of habitat of many species due to
(a) Industrial development (b)
Agricultural expansion
(c) Port activities (d)
Mining
What was the aim of Chipko movement?
(a) Human rights (b)
Political rights
(c) Agricultural expansion (d)
Forest conservation
The Mundas and Santhals of Chhota Nagpur region worship which
one of the following trees?
(a) Mahua (b) Mango (c) Peepal (d) Tamarind
The species which are in danger of extinction are called:
(a) Vulnerable species (b)
Rare species
(c) Endangered species (d)
Normal species
The Himalayan brown bear is an example of:
(a) Vulnerable species (b)
Rare species
(c) Endemic species (d)
Extinct species
The Asian cheetah was declared extinct in India in the year:
(a) 1951 (b) 1952 (c) 2010 (d) 1975
The Himalayan yew is:
(a) an insect (b)
a medicinal plant
(c) a mammal (d)
a bird
Teak monoculture has damaged the natural forests in:
(a) Ganga Plain (b)
South India
(c) Brahmaputra Plain (d)
None of the above
How many tiger reserves are there in India:
(a) 10 (b) 15 (c) 27 (d) 29
Which one of the following is not considered a sacred tree in
India?
(a) Peepal (b) Neem (c) Banyan (d) Mango
India has nearly …………… percent of total number of species in the
world
(a) 5 (b) 10 (c) 8 (d) 2
When was Asiatic Cheetah declared extinct in India?
(a) in 1958 (b) in 1989 (c) in 1922 (d) in 1952
The Buxa Tiger Reserve is situated in which of the following
states?
(a) Madhya Pradesh (b) West Bengal (c) Gujarat (d) Orissa
How many species of flora are found in India?
(a) 81000 (b) 47000 (c) 15000 (d) 41000
Sariska wildlife sanctuary is located in which state?
(a) Rajasthan (b)
Uttar Pradesh
(c) Gujarat (d)
West Bengal
Which one of the following belongs to vulnerable species?
(a) Black buck (b)
Crocodile
(c) Indian rhino (d)
Blue sheep
Which of the following types of species are known as the extinct
species?
(a) Species whose population levels are normal
(b) Whose population has declined
(c) Species with small population
(d) Species which are not found
Which one of the following states has the largest area under
permanent forests?
(a) Bihar (b)
Kerala
(c) Madhya Pradesh (d)
Uttar Pradesh
Which of the following is an extinct species?
(a) Blue sheep (b)
Asiatic cheetah
(c) Black buck (d)
Asiatic elephant
Forests and wastelands belonging to both private individuals and
government are known as:
(a) Sacred groves (b)
Reserved forest
(c) Protected forests (d)
Unclassed forests
Which of the following species was included for the first time
in list of protected species in 1991?
(a) Insects (b) Fishes (c) Plants (d) Reptiles
In which of the following states, a very high percentage of its
forests is managed by local communities?
(a) Jammu and Kashmir (b)
Arunachal Pradesh
(c) Andhra Pradesh (d)
Himachal Pradesh
What is the Himalayan Yew?
(a) A type of deer (b)
A medicinal plant
(c) A species of bird (d)
A food crop grown in the Himalayas
Cleaning of forests is still continuing in Madhya Pradesh mainly
due to which of the following reasons?
(a) Dolomite mining
(b) Commercial plantations
(c) Industrialisaiton and urbanisation
(d) Narmada Sagar (River Valley) Project
2016
Short Answer Type Question [3 Marks]
Question 1.
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 2.
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 regarded
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 3.
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 4.
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 endangered 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 5.
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 6.
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 7.
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 8.
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 9.
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 10.
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 11.
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 12.
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 13.
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 14.
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 15.
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 16.
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 17.
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 18.
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 19.
Which state has the largest area permanent forests?
Answer:
Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under permanent forests.
Question 20.
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.
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