UPSC CSE Prelims
Biodiversity and Conservation Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Showing solved Previous Year Questions for Chapter: Biodiversity and Conservation
Topic Breakdown: Scroll →
What is/are unique about ‘Kharai camel’ a breed found in India?
- It is capable of swimming up to three kilometres in seawater.
- It survives by grazing on mangroves.
- It lives in the wild and cannot be domesticated.
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 1 — 1 and 2 only
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Kharai camels possess the unique ability to swim up to three kilometers in seawater, enabling them to reach offshore mangrove islands in the Gulf of Kutch for grazing.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: The name 'Kharai' derives from the Gujarati word for 'salty,' reflecting their primary diet of saline-tolerant plants and mangroves. This adaptation allows them to survive in the harsh coastal ecosystem of Gujarat.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Kharai camels are semi-domesticated animals herded by the Maldhari pastoral communities in the Kutch region. They are used for milk production, and their male calves are often sold for commercial purposes.
‘Gadgil Committee Report’ and ‘Kasturirangan Committee Report’, sometimes seen in the news, are related to -
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — Protection of Western Ghats
Both the Gadgil Committee Report (2011) and Kasturirangan Committee Report (2012) are specifically related to the conservation and protection of the Western Ghats, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. The Gadgil Committee (Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel) recommended declaring the entire Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) with strict environmental regulations. However, facing resistance from state governments, the Kasturirangan Committee was formed to review these recommendations. It proposed a more moderate approach, designating only 37% of the Western Ghats as ESA, focusing on forested and uninhabited areas while allowing regulated development in other regions. Both reports address the balance between ecological conservation and developmental needs in the Western Ghats region.
Recently, for the first time in our country, which of the following State has declared a particular butterfly as ‘State Butterfly’?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — Maharashtra
Maharashtra became the first state in India to declare a state butterfly in 2015. The state designated the Blue Mormon (Papilio polymnestor) as its official butterfly. The Blue Mormon is a large, striking butterfly with black velvet wings adorned with bright blue spots, found in the Western Ghats and other forested regions of the state. This declaration was part of Maharashtra's biodiversity conservation efforts to raise awareness about native species.
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In which of the following regions of India are you most likely to come across the ‘Great Indian Hornbill’ in its natural habitat?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — Western Ghats
The Great Indian Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) is a large frugivorous bird native to the dense evergreen and moist deciduous forests of India. Its natural habitat in India is primarily concentrated in the Western Ghats, where it thrives in the tropical rainforests with abundant fruit-bearing trees. The bird is also found in the foothills of the Himalayas in the northeastern states, but among the given options, the Western Ghats is the correct answer. The species requires tall trees for nesting and roosting, making the sand deserts of northwest India, higher cold Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir, and salt marshes of Gujarat unsuitable habitats. It is listed as vulnerable due to habitat loss and hunting pressure.
Proper design and effective implementation of UN-REDD+ Programme can significantly contribute to -
- Protection of biodiversity
- Resilience of forest ecosystems
- Poverty reduction
Select the correct answer using the code given below
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — 1, 2 and 3
The UN-REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) Programme creates financial incentives for developing countries to reduce forest-based emissions while promoting sustainable forest management. All three statements are correct:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: REDD+ protects biodiversity by preventing deforestation and forest degradation, thereby conserving the diverse species of flora and fauna that depend on forest ecosystems.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: The programme enhances resilience of forest ecosystems by promoting sustainable forest management practices that help forests better withstand climate change impacts, natural disturbances, and environmental stresses.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: REDD+ contributes to poverty reduction by providing financial incentives and alternative livelihood opportunities to forest-dependent communities, encouraging them to participate in sustainable forest conservation rather than exploitative practices.
With reference to ‘Red Sanders’, sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements:
- It is a tree species found in a part of South India.
- It is one of the most important trees in the tropical rainforest areas of South India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 1 — 1 only
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus), also known as Red Sandalwood, is a tree species endemic to the southern Eastern Ghats mountain range of South India, primarily found in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Red Sanders is not found in tropical rainforest areas. It grows in dry deciduous forests and semi-arid regions of the Eastern Ghats, thriving in scrub forests with rocky terrain and low rainfall conditions, which are distinctly different from tropical rainforest ecosystems.
Recently, our scientists have discovered a new and distinct species of banana plant which attains a height of about 11 metres and has orange-coloured fruit pulp. In which part of India has it been discovered?
Detailed Explanation:
The Musa indandamanensis, a new banana species reaching 11 meters in height with distinctive orange fruit pulp, was discovered by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) in the tropical rainforests of Little Andaman Island.
This species is unique for its green flowers, large fruit bunch axis (three times normal size), cylindrical flowers (instead of conical), and orange pulp—making the Andaman Islands the correct answer.
With reference to ‘dugong’, mammal found in India, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- It is a herbivorous marine animal.
- It is found along the entire coast of India
- It is given legal protection under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Dugong is a herbivorous marine mammal that exclusively feeds on seagrass meadows in shallow coastal waters.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Dugongs are not found along the entire coast of India; they are restricted to Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, Gulf of Kutch, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Dugong is accorded the highest protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, making hunting or harming them a serious offence.
Which one of the following is the national aquatic animal of India?
Detailed Explanation:
The Gangetic dolphin (Platanista gangetica) was declared India's National Aquatic Animal on 18th May 2010 by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
This blind dolphin, also called susu, is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List with fewer than 2000 individuals remaining, facing threats from pollution and habitat destruction in the Ganga river system.
In a particular region in India, the local people train the roots of the living trees into robust bridges across the streams. As time passes these bridges become stronger. These unique ‘Living Root Bridges’ are found in -
Detailed Explanation:
Living Root Bridges are found in Meghalaya, created by the Khasi and Jaintia tribes who train the aerial roots of Ficus elastica (Indian rubber tree) to form bridges across streams.
These bridges grow stronger over time, taking 10-15 years to become fully functional, and are found mainly in the Cherrapunji and Mawsynram regions of Meghalaya.
In India, the problem of soil erosion is associated with which of the following?
- Terrace cultivation
- Deforestation
- Tropical climate
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Terrace cultivation is a soil conservation method that prevents erosion by creating leveled steps on slopes to reduce water runoff and trap soil.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Deforestation removes tree cover and root systems that bind soil, leaving it exposed to rain and wind erosion, making it a major cause of soil erosion in India.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Tropical climate with heavy rainfall is a natural factor but not inherently problematic; erosion occurs primarily due to human activities like deforestation and poor land management, not the climate itself.
With reference to the Neem tree, consider the following statements:
- Neem oil can be used as a pesticide to control the proliferation of some species of insects and mites.
- Neem seeds are used in the manufacture of biofuels and hospital detergents.
- Neem oil has applications in the pharmaceutical industry.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Neem oil contains azadirachtin, a natural compound that effectively controls the proliferation of insects and mites by disrupting their growth and feeding patterns, making it a widely used biopesticide.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: While neem seeds have been explored for various applications, they are not commercially used for manufacturing biofuels or hospital detergents. Hospital detergents require regulated chemical formulations with specific disinfectant properties.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Neem oil has significant applications in the pharmaceutical industry, including anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic properties, and is used in various medicinal formulations and traditional Ayurvedic preparations.
Every year, a month-long ecologically important campaign/festival is held during which certain communities/tribes plant saplings of fruit-bearing trees. Which of the following are such communities/tribes?
Detailed Explanation:
The Gond and Korku tribes of Madhya Pradesh (particularly Betul and Harda districts) celebrate the Hari Jiroti festival during the monsoon season.
This month-long ecological campaign involves planting saplings of fruit-bearing trees, reflecting traditional practices of biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource management by these indigenous communities.
If you walk through the countryside, you are likely to see some birds stalking alongside the cattle to seize the insects, disturbed by their movement through grasses, Which of the following is/are such bird/birds?
- Painted Stork
- Common Myna
- Black-necked Crane
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Painted Storks are wading birds that feed on fish, frogs, and aquatic insects in shallow water bodies; they do not follow cattle through grasslands.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Common Mynas are insectivorous birds commonly seen following cattle and grazing animals to catch insects disturbed by their movement through grasses.
✅ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Black-necked Cranes are primarily herbivorous, feeding on grains, tubers, and aquatic plants; they are not known for insect-hunting behavior alongside cattle.
Other than poaching, what are the possible reasons for the decline in the population of Ganges River Dolphins?
- Construction of dams and barrages on rivers
- Increase in the population of crocodiles in rivers
- Getting trapped in fishing nets accidentally
- Use of synthetic fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals in crop-fields in the vicinity of rivers
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Dams and barrages fragment river habitats, restrict migration, isolate dolphin populations, and reduce prey availability.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Crocodile population increase is not a documented cause of dolphin decline; both species coexist in healthy river ecosystems.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Accidental entanglement in fishing nets (gillnets) is a major cause of mortality, leading to drowning of dolphins.
✅ Statement 4 – Correct: Agricultural chemical runoff pollutes rivers, contaminating prey species and causing bioaccumulation of toxins in dolphins.