Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development: RAS Prelims MCQs
179 RAS Prelims MCQs on biodiversity, conservation of natural resources and sustainable development cover the levels of biodiversity, hotspots, conservation bodies, wildlife law and climate instruments. Alpha diversity, Norman Myers, the IUCN Red List, the Wildlife Amendment Act 2022, the CBD protocols and carbon market ideas like cap and trade and additionality are asked as facts and statements.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 41–50 of 179 questions
RAS PrelimsHealth, Environment and Agriculture · Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development
Q41. Read the following list of Tiger Reserves in India: I. Bandipur II. Jim Corbett III. Kanha IV. Manas Which combination of the above were among the initial 9 tiger reserves declared during the launch of Project Tiger?
Explanation
When Project Tiger was launched in 1973, it began with the designation of nine initial tiger reserves. These original reserves included Bandipur in Karnataka, Jim Corbett in Uttarakhand, Kanha in Madhya Pradesh, and Manas in Assam. These areas were selected to represent different ecosystems and were given special protection to facilitate the recovery and growth of the national tiger population.
RAS PrelimsHealth, Environment and Agriculture · Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development
Q42. Which statutory body was established in 2005 to strengthen tiger conservation and manage Project Tiger?
Explanation
The National Tiger Conservation Authority was established in 2005 following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force. It was given statutory status through the 2006 amendment of the Wildlife Protection Act. The NTCA provides administrative and political leadership to Project Tiger, ensuring that tiger reserves are managed according to standardized guidelines and that conservation efforts are strengthened across India.
RAS PrelimsHealth, Environment and Agriculture · Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development
Q43. Identify the incorrect statement regarding tiger census methods in India.
Explanation
Tiger estimation in India is a massive undertaking conducted every four years, not annually. While early methods relied on pugmarks, modern census techniques integrate camera trapping, DNA analysis, and digital tools like the M-STrIPES application. This quadrennial cycle allows for a comprehensive assessment of tiger populations, their prey base, and habitat status across the entire national network of tiger reserves.
RAS PrelimsHealth, Environment and Agriculture · Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development
Q44. Match the following Tiger Reserves in List I with their corresponding states in List II:
Tiger Reserve
State
A. Dampa
i. Arunachal Pradesh
B. Pakke
ii. Mizoram
C. Satkosia
iii. Uttar Pradesh
D. Pilibhit
iv. Odisha Options:
Explanation
Tiger reserves in India are located across various states with unique ecological profiles. Dampa Tiger Reserve is situated in Mizoram, while Pakke Tiger Reserve is in Arunachal Pradesh.
RAS PrelimsHealth, Environment and Agriculture · Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development
Q45. Arrange the following Tiger Reserves from North to South in India: I. Bandhavgarh II. Corbett III. Periyar IV. Pench Which of the following represents the correct sequence?
Explanation
Moving from North to South, Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand is the northernmost. It is followed by Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. Further south is Pench Tiger Reserve, which spans the border of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala is the southernmost in this sequence, reflecting the latitudinal distribution of these critical protected areas in India.
RAS PrelimsHealth, Environment and Agriculture · Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development
Q46. Find the odd one out among the following protected areas in Rajasthan (in the context of Tiger Reserves).
Explanation
Rajasthan has several designated tiger reserves, including Ranthambore, Sariska, and Mukundra Hills. These areas are specifically managed under Project Tiger to protect the Bengal tiger. Tal Chhapar, however, is a wildlife sanctuary primarily famous for its population of blackbucks and migratory birds. It is not a notified tiger reserve, making it the odd one out in this specific context.
RAS PrelimsHealth, Environment and Agriculture · Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development
Q47. Identify the correct statement regarding tiger conservation milestones.
Explanation
The National Tiger Conservation Authority was formally established through the Wildlife Protection Amendment Act of 2006 to provide statutory backing to Project Tiger. Other milestones include the St. Petersburg Declaration, which aimed to double the global tiger population by 2022. International Tiger Day is celebrated on July 29, not August 12, which is specifically dedicated to the conservation of elephants.
RAS PrelimsHealth, Environment and Agriculture · Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development
Q48. If a proposed highway is planned to cut directly through the core zone of a Tiger Reserve, which authority’s explicit recommendation is mandatory for project clearance under the Wildlife Protection Act?
Explanation
Under the Wildlife Protection Act, any proposal for an activity that impacts a tiger reserve, particularly the core zone, requires the explicit recommendation of the National Tiger Conservation Authority. The NTCA ensures that such projects do not compromise the integrity of the habitat. This statutory requirement provides a critical layer of protection against infrastructure development that could fragment essential wildlife corridors.
RAS PrelimsHealth, Environment and Agriculture · Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development
Q49. Project Elephant, a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched by the Government of India in the year:
Explanation
Project Elephant was launched by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in February 1992. This centrally sponsored scheme was initiated to provide financial and technical support to major elephant-bearing states. Its primary goal is to ensure the long-term survival of viable populations of Asian elephants in their natural habitats throughout the various ecological regions of the diverse Indian subcontinent.
RAS PrelimsHealth, Environment and Agriculture · Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development
Q50. Read the following objectives regarding conservation: I. To protect elephants, their habitat, and corridors. II. To address issues of man-animal conflict. III. To ensure the welfare of captive elephants. IV. To promote the commercial trade of ivory. V. To relocate all wild elephants to zoological parks. Which combination represents the true objectives of Project Elephant?
Explanation
Project Elephant focuses on three main objectives: protecting elephants and their habitats, addressing the rising challenges of human-elephant conflict, and ensuring the welfare of captive elephants. It does not promote ivory trade, which is strictly illegal, nor does it aim to relocate all wild elephants to zoos. The project emphasizes in-situ conservation and the maintenance of essential migratory corridors.
Answer key for these questions
Q
Correct answer
41
(d) I, II, III and IV
42
(d) National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
43
(b) Tiger census in India is conducted annually across all reserves.
44
(a) A-ii, B-i, C-iv, D-iii
45
(a) II, I, IV, III
46
(b) Tal Chhapar
47
(b) Establishment of NTCA - Wildlife Protection Amendment Act 2006
48
(a) National Tiger Conservation Authority
49
(c) 1992
50
(a) I, II and III only
Key facts from Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development
Genetic diversity is the variation of genes and alleles within a species; alpha diversity is the diversity of species within a habitat.
Norman Myers proposed the concept of biodiversity hotspots; the Nicobar Islands are part of the Sundaland hotspot.
The IUCN maintains the Red List of Threatened Species; the Amazon rainforest is called the lungs of the planet.
The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act 2022 removed the vermin schedule; the Centre can declare vermin by notification.
The Cartagena Protocol, Nagoya Protocol and Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework belong to the CBD; the Kyoto Protocol does not.
Cap and trade sets an emission limit and allows trade of surplus allowances; one carbon credit equals one tonne of CO₂; additionality means reductions must be real.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development?
This page has 179 practice MCQs on Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Development (Health, Environment and Agriculture). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Who proposed the concept of biodiversity hotspots?
The ecologist Norman Myers. A hotspot is a region with a very high number of endemic species that has lost most of its original habitat, such as the Western Ghats and Sundaland.
What is cap and trade?
A mechanism that sets a limit (cap) on total emissions and issues allowances to firms. Firms that emit less than their allowance can sell the surplus to others, which gives a market price to carbon.
What does additionality mean in carbon offsets?
That the emission reductions must be real and would not have happened without the revenue from carbon credits. A project that would have gone ahead anyway does not earn credits.
