UPSC CSE Prelims
Biosphere Reserves Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 1 — Neyyar, Peppara and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries; and Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

The Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve is located in the southern Western Ghats, spanning across Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It comprises three wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala (Neyyar, Peppara, and Shendurney) and the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu, making Option 1 the correct answer. This biosphere reserve is recognized as one of the 18 hotspots of biological diversity in the world and serves as a genetic reservoir of cultivated and wild species, including many rare, endemic, and medicinal plants.

📝 Short Notes: Major Biosphere Reserves of India

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 1 — Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve

Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) in Tamil Nadu is the largest tiger reserve in the state and serves as a crucial wildlife corridor within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. It acts as a vital ecological link connecting the Western Ghats with the Eastern Ghats, facilitating genetic flow and wildlife movement between these two mountain ranges. STR is contiguous with several protected areas including Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, Sigur Plateau, Mudumalai National Park, and Bandipur National Park, making it ecologically significant for biodiversity conservation and maintaining landscape connectivity between the Eastern and Western Ghats.

Detailed Explanation:

✅ Pair 1 – Correct: Nokrek Biosphere Reserve is located in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya, known for conserving citrus gene pool.

❌ Pair 2 – Incorrect: Loktak Lake is located in Manipur valley (not Barail Range), famous for Keibul Lamjao National Park with floating phumdis.

❌ Pair 3 – Incorrect: Namdapha National Park is in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh near Myanmar border (not in Dafla Hills, which are in central Arunachal).