Forest and Wildlife

11. With reference to Indian laws about wildlife protection, consider the

With reference to Indian laws about wildlife protection, consider the following statements:

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1. Wild animals are the sole property of the government.
2. When a wild animal is declared protected, such animal is entitled for equal protection whether it is found in protected areas or outside.
3. Apprehension of a protected wild animal becoming a danger to human life is sufficient ground for its capture or killing.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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1 and 2
2 only
1 and 3
3 only
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2022
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Statements 1 and 2 are correct regarding Indian laws about wildlife protection.
– Statement 1 is correct. As per the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (as amended), scheduled wild animals become the property of the government upon being killed or captured, or if found dead. This establishes government ownership over protected wildlife.
– Statement 2 is correct. When a species is listed in the Schedules of the WPA, 1972, it receives the protection afforded by the Act regardless of whether it is found within a designated protected area (like a National Park or Wildlife Sanctuary) or outside. The protection status applies to the animal itself.
Statement 3 is incorrect. Apprehension alone is not sufficient ground for the capture or killing of a protected wild animal. Section 11 of the WPA, 1972, allows for the killing or wounding of a wild animal in self-defence or if it becomes dangerous to human life or property (including standing crops). However, this typically requires assessment and permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden or authorized officer, establishing that the animal is indeed a danger, not merely an apprehension. Killing purely based on apprehension without official assessment is generally not permissible.

12. With reference to the New York Declaration on Forests’, which of the f

With reference to the New York Declaration on Forests’, which of the following statements are correct?

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  • 1. It was first endorsed at the United Nations Climate Summit in 2014.
  • 2. It endorses a global timeline to end the loss of forests.
  • 3. It is a legally binding international declaration.
  • 4. It is endorsed by governments, big companies and indigenous communities.
  • 5. India was one of the signatories at its inception.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1, 2 and 4
1, 3 and 5
3 and 4
2 and 5
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2021
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The New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) is a non-legally binding political declaration that grew out of the 2014 UN Climate Summit. Let’s evaluate the statements:
1. It was first endorsed at the United Nations Climate Summit in 2014: This is correct. The declaration was launched and endorsed at the UN Climate Summit in New York in September 2014.
2. It endorses a global timeline to end the loss of forests: This is correct. The NYDF includes goals to halve the rate of loss of natural forests globally by 2020 and strive to end natural forest loss by 2030.
3. It is a legally binding international declaration: This is incorrect. The NYDF is explicitly a voluntary political declaration, not a legally binding treaty.
4. It is endorsed by governments, big companies and indigenous communities: This is correct. The NYDF is supported by a broad coalition of endorsers, including national and subnational governments, corporations, indigenous peoples’ organizations, and civil society groups.
5. India was one of the signatories at its inception: This is incorrect. While India participates in various international climate initiatives, India was not among the initial endorsers of the New York Declaration on Forests in 2014, nor has it become an endorser since.
Based on this, statements 1, 2, and 4 are correct.
The NYDF is a voluntary declaration launched at the 2014 UN Climate Summit with ambitious goals for reducing deforestation, supported by a wide range of actors, but is not legally binding and India is not a signatory.
The NYDF aims to mobilize action across all sectors to protect and restore forests as a key part of the climate solution and for sustainable development.

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13. With reference to Indian elephants, consider the following statements

With reference to Indian elephants, consider the following statements :

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  • The leader of an elephant group is a female.
  • The maximum gestation period can be 22 months.
  • An elephant can normally go on calving till the age of 40 years only.
  • Among the States in India, the highest elephant population is in Kerala.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

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1 and 2 only
2 and 4 only
3 only
1, 3 and 4 only
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2020
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Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statements 3 and 4 are incorrect.
Elephant societies are matriarchal, led by the oldest and most experienced female (matriarch). The gestation period of an elephant is about 22 months, which is the longest among all mammals. Female elephants can reproduce well into their 40s and 50s, sometimes even later, so the age limit of 40 years is incorrect. According to the 2017 elephant census (and subsequent estimates), Karnataka has the highest elephant population in India, followed by Assam and then Kerala.
Elephants are keystone species and play a vital role in their ecosystems. Conservation efforts in India focus on protecting their habitats and corridors, mitigating human-elephant conflict, and preventing poaching.

14. If a particular plant species is placed under Schedule VI of The Wildl

If a particular plant species is placed under Schedule VI of The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, what is the implication?

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A licence is required to cultivate that plant.
Such a plant cannot be cultivated under any circumstances.
It is a Genetically Modified crop plant.
Such a plant is invasive and harmful to the ecosystem.
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UPSC IAS – 2020
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If a particular plant species is placed under Schedule VI of The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, it implies that a license is required to cultivate that plant.
Schedule VI of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 lists specific plant species. The cultivation, collection, extraction, and sale of these plants and their derivatives require a license from the Chief Wild Life Warden or an authorized officer. Without a license, such activities are prohibited.
The purpose of placing plants under Schedule VI is generally to protect certain rare, endangered, or commercially important plant species from unsustainable exploitation. Examples of plants listed under Schedule VI include Pitcher Plant, Blue Vanda, Red Vanda, Kuth, Lady’s Slipper Orchid, and plants of the genus Renanthera.

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15. Consider the following statements: 1. As per law, the Compensatory A

Consider the following statements:

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  • 1. As per law, the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority exists at both National and State levels.
  • 2. People’s participation is mandatory in the compensatory afforestation programmes carried out under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
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UPSC IAS – 2019
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Statement 1: The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016, provides for the establishment of a Compensatory Afforestation Fund at both the national level (National Fund) and the state level (State Fund). It also mandates the constitution of a National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) and State CAMPAs to manage these funds and carry out compensatory afforestation and other related activities. Thus, Statement 1 is correct.
Statement 2: While the Act and related rules encourage people’s participation, especially involving Gram Sabhas in planning and monitoring compensatory afforestation activities (Section 4(2)(v) of the Act mentions inclusion of details relating to participation of local people, NGOs, etc., in the annual plan), it does not make people’s participation strictly mandatory for all compensatory afforestation programmes carried out under the Act. The term “mandatory” implies a strict legal requirement for every programme, which is not explicitly stipulated in the Act. Thus, Statement 2 is incorrect.
The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 establishes CAMPA authorities and funds at both national and state levels, but people’s participation in programmes is encouraged rather than being strictly mandatory.
Compensatory afforestation is required under forest laws when forest land is diverted for non-forest purposes. The funds collected for this purpose were often underutilized or mismanaged, leading to the enactment of the 2016 Act to create a proper framework for the management and utilization of these funds. The Act aims to promote afforestation and regeneration activities to compensate for the loss of forest cover.

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16. Consider the following statements: 1. As per recent amendment to the

Consider the following statements:

  • 1. As per recent amendment to the Indian Forest Act, 1927, forest dwellers have the right to fell the bamboos grown on forest areas.
  • 2. As per the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, bamboo is a minor forest produce.
  • 3. The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 allows ownership of minor forest produce to forest dwellers.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
3 only
1, 2 and 3
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2019
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Statements 2 and 3 are correct.
Statement 1 is incorrect. The Indian Forest (Amendment) Act, 2017 removed bamboo grown in non-forest areas from the definition of ‘tree’, thereby exempting it from requiring felling and transit permits under the Indian Forest Act, 1927. Bamboo grown in forest areas continues to be classified as a ‘tree’ under the unamended part of the Act, but rights over bamboo as Minor Forest Produce in forest areas are governed by the Forest Rights Act, 2006. The statement claiming a general right to fell bamboos grown on forest areas might be misleading or incorrect as per the 2017 amendment’s primary focus on non-forest areas and the nuances of rights under FRA 2006.

Statement 2 is correct. The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 explicitly defines ‘Minor Forest Produce’ (MFP) to include “bamboo, brush wood, stumps, cane, tussar, cocoons, honey, wax, lac, tendu or kendu leaves, medicinal plants and herbs, roots, tubers and the like”. Thus, as per this Act, bamboo is a minor forest produce.

Statement 3 is correct. The Forest Rights Act, 2006, recognizes and vests forest rights and occupation in forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers. Section 3(1)(c) specifically recognizes the right of ownership, access to collect, use, and dispose of minor forest produce, which has been traditionally collected within or outside village boundaries.

The classification of bamboo has been a point of contention. Historically, the Indian Forest Act, 1927, classified bamboo as a ‘tree’. The Forest Rights Act, 2006, classified it as ‘Minor Forest Produce’. The 2017 amendment to the Indian Forest Act resolved the classification conflict *only for bamboo grown outside forest areas*, classifying it as grass in such areas to promote cultivation and trade. For bamboo within forest areas, the FRA 2006’s classification as MFP and the rights granted under it apply.

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17. Consider the following statements: Asiatic lion is naturally found i

Consider the following statements:

  • Asiatic lion is naturally found in India only.
  • Double-humped camel is naturally found in India only.
  • One-horned rhinoceros is naturally found in India only.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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1 only
2 only
1 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2019
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Option A is correct. Only statement 1 is correct.
– Statement 1: Asiatic lion (*Panthera leo persica*) is naturally found only in the Gir Forest National Park and surrounding areas in Gujarat, India.
– Statement 2: Double-humped camel (*Camelus bactrianus*) is naturally found in Central Asian deserts (e.g., parts of Mongolia and China). A population exists in Ladakh, India (Nubra Valley), but it is not naturally found *only* in India.
– Statement 3: The Great Indian Rhinoceros (*Rhinoceros unicornis*) is found naturally in the Terai region of the Himalayas, which includes parts of India (e.g., Assam, West Bengal) and Nepal (e.g., Chitwan National Park). It is not naturally found *only* in India.
– The double-humped camel population in Ladakh is believed to have been introduced centuries ago for use on trade routes.
– Nepal has significant populations of the One-horned Rhinoceros, particularly in Chitwan National Park.

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18. Consider the following statements : 1. The definition of “Critical Wil

Consider the following statements :
1. The definition of “Critical Wildlife Habitat” is incorporated in the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
2. For the first time in India, Baigas have been given Habitat Rights.
3. Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change officially decides and declares Habitat Rights for Primitive and Vulnerable Tribal Groups in any part of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

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1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
3 only
1, 2 and 3
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2018
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Statement 1 is correct: The Forest Rights Act, 2006 explicitly defines “Critical Wildlife Habitat” for the purpose of relocating communities while preserving their rights. Statement 2 is correct: The Baiga community in Chhattisgarh was among the first to receive Habitat Rights under the FRA, which recognizes their customary rights over traditional territories. Statement 3 is incorrect: Habitat Rights under the FRA are community rights claimed by the Gram Sabha and processed through local and district-level committees, not decided and declared by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA) is a key legislation recognizing the rights of forest-dwelling communities, including individual rights (like cultivation) and community rights (like use of minor forest produce, grazing, and habitat rights). Critical Wildlife Habitats are defined under the Act to balance conservation needs with rights.
Habitat Rights are granted to Primitive and Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) and pre-agricultural communities, recognizing their rights over their customary habitat and providing for management and conservation. The process for claiming and verifying rights under the FRA is decentralized, starting with the Gram Sabha.

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19. In India, if a species of tortoise is declared protected under Schedul

In India, if a species of tortoise is declared protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, what does it imply ?

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It enjoys the same level of protection as the tiger.
It no longer exists in the wild, a few individuals are under captive protection; and now it is impossible to prevent its extinction.
It is endemic to a particular region of India.
Both (b) and (c) stated above are correct in this context.
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UPSC IAS – 2017
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The correct option is A.
The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, provides for the protection of India’s wildlife. Schedule I lists species that are granted absolute protection and prohibits hunting them. The penalties for offenses related to these species are the highest. The tiger is also listed under Schedule I. Therefore, a species of tortoise declared protected under Schedule I enjoys the same level of absolute protection as the tiger.
The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, has six schedules. Schedule I and Part II of Schedule II provide absolute protection, Schedule III and Schedule IV provide protection with less severe penalties, Schedule V lists vermin (animals that can be hunted), and Schedule VI lists prohibited plants. Listing under Schedule I signifies the highest conservation priority and legal protection.

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20. The term ‘M-STRIPES’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of

The term ‘M-STRIPES’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of

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Captive breeding of Wild Fauna
Maintenance of Tiger Reserves
Indigenous Satellite Navigation System
Security of National Highways
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2017
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The term ‘M-STRIPES’ stands for Monitoring System For Tigers – Intensive Protection and Ecological Status.
It is a software-based monitoring system implemented by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in India to strengthen patrolling and surveillance in tiger reserves.
M-STRIPES utilizes GPS, camera traps, and field data collected by forest staff to provide real-time information on tiger sightings, signs, and threats, helping in effective management and anti-poaching efforts within tiger habitats.

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