UPSC Essentials daily subject quiz : Environment and Geography MCQs on decline in vulture populations, compensatory afforestation in India (Week 181)

QUESTION 1

Consider the following statements:

1. Between the 1990s and mid-2000s, vulture populations in India fell by more than 99 per cent.

2. The decline in vulture populations in India during this period was primarily caused by large-scale habitat loss and deforestation.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

(a) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is the correct explanation for Statement 1.

(b) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is not the correct explanation for Statement 1.

(c) Statement 1 is correct but Statement 2 is incorrect.

(d) Statement 1 is incorrect but Statement 2 is correct.

Relevance: The question covers vulture conservation, population decline and threats to wildlife species in India. It is relevant for species-specific conservation issues, human-induced threats and wildlife protection measures.

Explanation

— Panna’s sandstone landscape gives the Ken River a picturesque setting. Its deep gorges and sheer cliffs have created ledges where vultures can nest and roost, while the forests below support the prey species that sustain a functioning food chain.

— Between the 1990s and mid-2000s, vulture populations in India fell by more than 99 per cent. The primary cause was veterinary diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory drug used to treat livestock. Vultures feeding on carcasses of animals treated with the drug could suffer kidney failure and visceral gout. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is not correct.

— The disappearance of vultures was not simply the loss of another bird from the ecosystem. These specialised scavengers perform a crucial clean-up function, consuming animal carcasses rapidly, and helping prevent them from remaining in the environment for prolonged periods.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

With reference to compensatory afforestation in India, which of the following provides for taking up compensatory afforestation in another State/Union Territory when suitable land is not available in the State/UT where forest land has been diverted?

(a) Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980

(b) Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016

(c) Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972

(d) Environment (Protection) Act, 1986

Relevance: The topic covers the legal and institutional framework for compensatory afforestation arising from diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes. The question tests understanding of forest laws, compensatory afforestation and the roles of different Acts and rules governing forest diversion.

Explanation

— Even as it expressed concern over the felling of a “substantial” number of trees for the Subansiri Upper Hydroelectric Project (SUHEP), an Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Environment Ministry recommended environmental clearance for the run-of-the-river project on Subansiri basin in Arunachal Pradesh.

— The final environmental clearance, however, will be subject to a Stage-1 forest clearance (an in-principle approval given by the Centre under the Forest Conservation Act), as the project requires the diversion of 2,733 hectares of forest land and the felling of approximately 1,35,733 trees, as per the minutes of the EAC meeting.

— Under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), compensatory afforestation is permitted in other states if no land is available in the asking state. However, if no equivalent non-forest land is available, then a plantation double the extent of the diverted forest land has to be raised on degraded land.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

Consider the following statements:

1. One of the most impressive things about this species is that they can see in almost every direction at once. This species has compound eyes, made up of thousands of tiny lenses called ommatidia.

2. They are important predators of other insects and form part of aquatic and terrestrial food webs.

3. Loss of wetlands and water pollution can affect the diversity and populations of this species.

The above-mentioned statements refer to:

(a) Dragonflies

(b) Mayflies

(c) Grasshoppers

(d) Caddisflies

Relevance: The question links insect species with freshwater ecosystems, food webs and ecological interactions. It is relevant for species-specific ecological characteristics, habitat dependence and threats to biodiversity.

Explanation

— If you’ve ever had a close encounter with a dragonfly, you probably noticed one thing right away: those enormous eyes. They take up most of the insect’s head, and for good reason: when it comes to vision, dragonflies are in a league of their own.

— One of the most impressive things about dragonflies is that they can see in almost every direction at once. Their huge, rounded eyes give them nearly 360 degrees of vision, meaning they can spot prey, predators, or potential mates from almost any angle.

— According to the Natural History Museum in London, their eyes wrap so far around their heads that it’s like living inside a globe of glass. For a flying insect that hunts on the move, this kind of vision is a massive advantage.

— Those big eyes aren’t just oversized versions of ours. Dragonflies have compound eyes, made up of thousands of tiny lenses called ommatidia. Each ommatidium functions like a tiny eye, capturing light and movement from a specific angle.

— They are important predators of other insects and form part of aquatic and terrestrial food webs. Loss of wetlands and water pollution can affect the diversity and populations of this species.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

The rhesus macaque (monkey) is listed under:

(a) Part I of Schedule II, Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972

(b) Part II of Schedule II, Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972

(c) Part I of Schedule III, Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972

(d) Not listed in the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972

Relevance: The question links wildlife conservation with the schedules and legal protection framework under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. It can be useful for testing species-specific legal protection, schedules of the Act and recent amendments.

Explanation

— The death of 63-year-old Satya Devi Chauhan in Shimla this month brought the unresolved question of human-wildlife conflict to the forefront once again. Chauhan, a widow, suffered grievous injuries, including spinal damage, after being attacked by a pack of rhesus macaques on the roof of her house on August 30.

— The incident has brought the legal and administrative position of rhesus macaques, also called rhesus monkeys, into focus. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, listed the rhesus macaque as a protected species under Part I of Schedule II, but the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022, removed it.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

With reference to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), consider the following statements:

1. It aims to ensure that cross-border trade in wildlife and plants is legal, sustainable and traceable without harming their survival in the wild.

2. India is not a member of CITES.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Relevance: CITES is an important international framework governing the international trade of endangered wild fauna and flora. It links wildlife conservation with sustainable and regulated cross-border trade through different levels of protection for listed species.

Explanation

— The international trade of wildlife, their body parts and trophies is not prohibited. It is strictly regulated and governed through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The international treaty entered force in 1975, and India became a party to it in 1976. The treaty’s aim is to ensure that cross-border trade in wildlife and plants is legal, sustainable and traceable without harming their survival in the wild. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is not correct.

— It is essentially a licensing system that puts in checks and controls on the import, export and re-export of live animals and plants, wildlife body parts, and trophies. The controls are implemented via an exhaustive “CITES species-list”, which is divided into three appendices. These appendices determine the level of protection accorded to those species.

— Appendix-I listed species are those facing the threat of extinction. Trade in specimens of these species is generally prohibited, permitted only in exceptional circumstances and mostly never for commercial reasons; trade in Appendix-II species is also controlled strictly.

— Appendix-I species can be traded with valid permits — provided they are captive-bred and are for conservation purposes. Protection for species or fresh entries are made routinely during intergovernmental meetings — Conference of Parties — based on their conservation status and proposals from parties. Some notable and controversially allowed trade related to charismatic species includes elephant ivory, rhino horn, elephant and lion trophy hunting, and crocodile skin.

— India’s Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, was amended in 2022 to harmonise it with CITES. The amendment added a Schedule to include CITES-listed species.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 165)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 181)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 181)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 181)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 180)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 180)

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