This MCQ module is based on: Wildlife, Biosphere Reserves & Exercises
TOPIC 14 OF 17
Wildlife, Biosphere Reserves & Exercises
🎓 Class 11
Social Science
CBSE
Theory
Ch 5 — Natural Vegetation
⏱ ~22 min
🌐 Language: [gtranslate]
🧠 AI-Powered MCQ Assessment
▲
📝 Worksheet / Assessment
▲
This assessment will be based on: Wildlife, Biosphere Reserves & Exercises
Upload images, PDFs, or Word documents to include their content in assessment generation.
Chapter 5 · Natural Vegetation — Wildlife, Biosphere Reserves & NCERT Exercises
Wildlife is India's great natural heritage. About 4–5 per cent of all known plant and animal species on Earth are found here. The roar of the Bengal tiger in Jim Corbett, the trumpeting of elephants in Periyar, the gentle grazing of one-horned rhinos in Kaziranga, the deep call of the Asiatic lion in Gir — each is a thread in the great fabric of Indian biodiversity. This part covers the science and law of wildlife protection, the network of National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and the 18 Biosphere Reserves of India, and concludes with full model answers to every NCERT exercise of Chapter 5.
5.13 Wildlife — A Crisis and a Calling
You may have visited a zoo and seen animals and birds in captivity. India's wildlife in the wild is far richer: about 4–5 per cent of all known plant and animal species on Earth occur within its borders. The main reason for this remarkable diversity of life-forms is the equally great diversity of ecosystems? — from the snowy Himalayas to the coral reefs of the Andaman seas — that the country has preserved and supported through the ages.
Over the years, this habitat has been disturbed by human activities, and as a result the numbers of many species have dwindled significantly. There are some species that are at the brink of extinction.
5.13.1 Six Reasons Why Wildlife is Declining
- Industrial and technological advancement brought a rapid increase in the exploitation of forest resources.
- Land conversion — more and more land was cleared for agriculture, human settlement, roads, mining and reservoirs.
- Pressure on forests mounted due to lopping for fodder and fuelwood, and removal of small timber by local people.
- Grazing by domestic cattle caused an adverse effect on wildlife and its habitat.
- Hunting was taken up as a sport by the elite, with hundreds of wild animals being killed in a single hunt; today commercial poaching is rampant.
- Forest fires — both natural and man-made — destroy nesting sites and burn entire seedling banks.
5.14 Wildlife Conservation in India
The protection of wildlife has a long tradition in India. Many stories of the Panchatantra and the Jungle Books have stood the test of time, relating to the love for wildlife. These stories have a profound impact on young minds.
5.14.1 The 1972 Wildlife Act
In 1972, a comprehensive Wildlife (Protection) Act was enacted; it provides the main legal framework for conservation and protection of wildlife in India. The Act has two main objectives:
- To provide protection to the endangered species listed in the schedule of the Act.
- To provide legal support to the conservation areas of the country classified as National Parks, Sanctuaries and Closed Areas.
The Act has been comprehensively amended in 1991, making punishments more stringent and including provisions for the protection of specified plant species and conservation of endangered species of wild animals.
📜 By the Numbers
India has 107 National Parks and 573 Wildlife Sanctuaries (NCERT figure; the count grows almost every year). Wildlife conservation has a very large ambit with unbounded potential for the well-being of humankind — but only when every individual understands its significance and contributes their bit.
5.14.2 Special Wildlife Schemes
For the purpose of effective conservation of flora and fauna, the Government of India has launched several special schemes in collaboration with UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme.
Project Tiger (1973)
Launched in 1973 to ensure a viable tiger population in India. Started in 9 reserves covering 16,339 sq. km; now expanded to 58 tiger reserves spanning 84,487 sq. km in 18 states. Tiger numbers rose from 1,411 (2006) to 3,682 (2023) — over 75 % of the world's wild tigers.
Project Elephant (1992)
Launched in 1992 to assist states with free-ranging elephant populations and to ensure long-term survival of viable populations in their natural habitat. Implemented in 18 states.
One-Horned Rhino Conservation
Targeted conservation in Assam and adjoining areas — Kaziranga, Manas and Pobitora. Numbers have rebounded sharply from a low of about 200 in the 1970s to over 3,000 today, the world's largest population.
Crocodile Breeding Project
Designed to save the gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), the mugger (Crocodylus palustris) and the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). Captive breeding centres release juveniles into the Chambal, the Mahanadi and the Sundarbans.
Project Hangul
For the conservation of the Kashmiri stag (Hangul) — endemic to Dachigam National Park in Kashmir, with a critically small population.
Himalayan Musk Deer Project
For the conservation of the Himalayan Musk Deer, hunted for the musk pod that fetches a high price in international perfume markets.
5.15 National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries — A Roll-Call
India has built an impressive network of protected areas. While the official total runs to 107+ National Parks and 573 Wildlife Sanctuaries, a few of them stand out as flagship reserves, each protecting a distinctive ecosystem and an iconic species.
| National Park | State | Iconic Species / Habitat |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Corbett (1936) | Uttarakhand | India's first national park — Bengal tiger, sal forests of Shivaliks |
| Kaziranga | Assam | Greater one-horned rhinoceros — Brahmaputra floodplain |
| Gir | Gujarat | Asiatic lion — last surviving wild population in the world |
| Sundarbans | West Bengal | Royal Bengal tiger in mangrove delta — UNESCO World Heritage Site |
| Periyar | Kerala | Asian elephant — Western Ghats evergreen ecosystem |
| Kanha | Madhya Pradesh | Tiger and barasingha — central Indian sal forests |
| Bandhavgarh | Madhya Pradesh | Tiger — highest tiger density in India |
| Ranthambhore | Rajasthan | Tiger in semi-arid dry deciduous forests |
| Nagarhole / Bandipur | Karnataka | Asian elephant, tiger — Nilgiri biosphere |
| Dachigam | Jammu & Kashmir | Hangul (Kashmir stag) — Himalayan temperate forest |
| Hemis | Ladakh | Snow leopard — largest national park in India |
| Keoladeo (Bharatpur) | Rajasthan | Migratory water-fowl — Ramsar site |
📖 National Park vs Wildlife Sanctuary
National Parks protect habitats and species together, with no human activity permitted; boundaries are notified strictly. Wildlife Sanctuaries protect specific species primarily, and limited human activity (such as grazing, minor forest produce collection by tribals) may be permitted.
5.16 Biosphere Reserves — Whole Ecosystems Under Protection
A Biosphere Reserve? is a unique and representative ecosystem of terrestrial and coastal areas which is internationally recognised within the framework of UNESCO's Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme. The Biosphere Reserve aims to achieve three objectives: conservation, sustainable development and logistic support (research, monitoring, education and training).
5.16.1 Concentric Zones of a Biosphere Reserve
Figure 5.F: The three concentric zones of a Biosphere Reserve — Core, Buffer and Transition.
5.16.2 The Eighteen Biosphere Reserves of India
There are 18 Biosphere Reserves in India. Twelve of them have been recognised by UNESCO on its World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
| Sl. | Name | Year Designated | State / UT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nilgiri* | 1986 | Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Karnataka |
| 2 | Nanda Devi* | 1988 | Uttarakhand |
| 3 | Nokrek* | 1988 | Meghalaya |
| 4 | Manas | 1989 | Assam |
| 5 | Sunderban* | 1989 | West Bengal |
| 6 | Gulf of Mannar* | 1989 | Tamil Nadu |
| 7 | Great Nicobar* | 1989 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
| 8 | Similipal* | 1994 | Odisha |
| 9 | Dibru-Saikhowa | 1997 | Assam |
| 10 | Dehang Debang | 1998 | Arunachal Pradesh |
| 11 | Pachmarhi* | 1999 | Madhya Pradesh |
| 12 | Khangchendzonga* | 2000 | Sikkim |
| 13 | Agasthyamalai* | 2001 | Tamil Nadu, Kerala |
| 14 | Achanakmar–Amarkantak* | 2005 | Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh |
| 15 | Kachchh | 2008 | Gujarat |
| 16 | Cold Desert | 2009 | Himachal Pradesh |
| 17 | Seshachalam* | 2010 | Andhra Pradesh |
| 18 | Panna* | 2011 | Madhya Pradesh |
* Names in bold are included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO (12 of 18).
Figure 5.G: Biosphere Reserves designated by year — note the cluster of 1989 (four reserves in a single year) and the steady additions through the 2000s.
Activity 5.6 · MAP IT — Biosphere Reserves on India's Outline
- On an outline map of India, mark and label the four biosphere reserves prescribed by NCERT: Nanda Devi, Sundarbans, Gulf of Mannar, and Nilgiri.
- Mark areas having mangrove forests: Sundarbans (West Bengal), Mahanadi delta (Odisha), Godavari–Krishna deltas (Andhra Pradesh), Cauvery delta (Tamil Nadu) and the A&N Islands.
- Mark the location of the Forest Survey of India headquarters (Dehradun, Uttarakhand).
Pointers: Nanda Devi (Uttarakhand, NW Himalayas), Sundarbans (West Bengal, Ganga delta), Gulf of Mannar (Tamil Nadu, southern coast between India and Sri Lanka), Nilgiri (the meeting point of TN, Kerala and Karnataka). FSI HQ — Dehradun. Mangrove dots line the entire east coast plus the A&N island cluster, with isolated pockets in Gujarat (Gulf of Kachchh).
5.17 NCERT Exercises — Full Model Answers
5.17.1 Multiple Choice Questions
Q.1 (i) Sandalwood is an example of:
(a) Evergreen forest (b) Deciduous forest (c) Deltaic forest (d) Thorny forest
Answer: (b) Deciduous forest. Sandalwood is one of the prime species of the moist tropical deciduous forests, found in regions with 100–200 cm rainfall, particularly in Karnataka.
Q.1 (ii) Which one of the following was the purpose of Project Tiger?
(a) to kill tigers (b) to put tigers in the Zoo (c) to protect tigers from illegal hunting (d) to make films on tigers
Answer: (c) To protect tigers from illegal hunting. Project Tiger (1973) was launched to ensure the maintenance of a viable population of tigers in India for scientific, aesthetic, cultural and ecological values; protection from poaching is at its core.
Q.1 (iii) In which one of the following states is the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve situated?
(a) Bihar (b) Uttar Pradesh (c) Uttarakhand (d) Odisha
Answer: (c) Uttarakhand. Designated in 1988, Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve covers the high Himalayan terrain around Nanda Devi peak in Uttarakhand and is part of UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
Q.1 (iv) How many of the Biosphere Reserves from India are recognised by the UNESCO?
(a) One (b) Two (c) Twelve (d) Four
Answer: (c) Twelve. Of India's 18 Biosphere Reserves, 12 have been recognised by UNESCO on its World Network of Biosphere Reserves — including Nilgiri, Nanda Devi, Nokrek, Sundarbans, Gulf of Mannar, Great Nicobar, Similipal, Pachmarhi, Khangchendzonga, Agasthyamalai, Achanakmar–Amarkantak, Seshachalam and Panna.
Q.1 (v) Which one of the following proportion of area of the country was targeted to be under forest in Forest Policy of India?
(a) 33 % (b) 44 % (c) 55 % (d) 22 %
Answer: (a) 33 %. The 1988 Forest Policy aims to bring 33 % of the country's geographical area under forest and tree cover, with two-thirds in the hills and one-third in the plains.
5.17.2 Short Answers (about 30 words)
Q.2 (i) What is natural vegetation? Under what climatic conditions are tropical evergreen forests developed?
Answer: Natural vegetation is a plant community that has been left undisturbed by humans for a long time, allowing each species to adjust itself fully to local climate and soil. Tropical evergreen forests develop in warm and humid areas with annual precipitation above 200 cm and a mean annual temperature above 22 °C.
Q.2 (ii) What do you understand by social forestry?
Answer: Social forestry is the management and protection of forests and afforestation on barren lands for the environmental, social and rural development of the country. The 1976 National Commission on Agriculture classified it into three categories: urban forestry, rural forestry and farm forestry.
Q.2 (iii) Define Biosphere Reserves.
Answer: A Biosphere Reserve is a unique and representative ecosystem of terrestrial and coastal areas, internationally recognised under UNESCO's Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme. It aims at three objectives: conservation, sustainable development and logistic support for research and education.
Q.2 (iv) What is the difference between forest area and forest cover?
Answer: Forest Area is the area legally notified and recorded as forest in government records, irrespective of whether trees actually exist on it. Forest Cover is the area actually covered by trees with a canopy density of more than 10 %, regardless of legal status. The two need not match — a notified forest may have lost trees, while an orchard counts as cover.
5.17.3 Long Answers (not more than 150 words)
Q.3 (i) What steps have been taken up to conserve forests?
Answer: India adopted a National Forest Policy in 1952 and revised it in 1988, aiming to bring 33 % of geographical area under forest cover. Key steps include: (i) Social Forestry, classified by the National Commission on Agriculture (1976) into urban, rural and farm forestry; (ii) Agro-forestry, raising trees and crops on the same land; (iii) Community Forestry, planting on village and panchayat land for shared benefit; (iv) Joint Forest Management (JFM), the partnership between forest-fringe communities and State Forest Departments; (v) Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (amended 1991) creating National Parks, Sanctuaries and Closed Areas; (vi) Special schemes — Project Tiger (1973), Project Elephant (1992), Crocodile Breeding Project, Project Hangul, Himalayan Musk Deer Project; and (vii) the network of 18 Biosphere Reserves, twelve of them on UNESCO's World Network. Together, these constitute India's multi-layered conservation strategy.
Q.3 (ii) How can people's participation be effective in conserving forests and wildlife?
Answer: People's participation is the cornerstone of sustainable forest and wildlife conservation. First, local and tribal communities have age-old knowledge of forest ecosystems; treating them as growers of minor forest produce — not just collectors — turns them into stewards. Second, Joint Forest Management formally vests communities with rights to non-timber produce and a share of timber, creating direct economic incentives to protect forests; West Bengal's Arabari experiment is the model. Third, women, who collect most of the fuelwood and fodder, must be central to JFM committees; their participation reduces over-extraction. Fourth, community forestry on village commons (pastures, temple land, canal banks) involves the landless directly. Fifth, eco-tourism around National Parks and Biosphere Reserves transforms wildlife into a community asset. Sixth, awareness through schools, the media and the Panchatantra-style storytelling tradition keeps the love for wildlife alive in the next generation.
5.17.4 Project / Activity
Project 1: On the outline map of India, mark and label the following.
(i) Areas having Mangrove forests; (ii) Biosphere reserves of Nanda Devi, Sundarbans, Gulf of Mannar and Nilgiri; (iii) Mark the location of Forest Survey of India Head Quarter.
Guidance: Use the schematic India map (Figure 5.A) as a reference. Mangroves run along the entire east coast (Sundarbans, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery deltas) plus the A&N Islands and the Gulf of Kachchh in Gujarat. Nanda Devi sits in Uttarakhand (NW Himalayas); Sundarbans in West Bengal (Ganga delta); Gulf of Mannar between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka; Nilgiri at the meeting of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. FSI HQ is at Dehradun in Uttarakhand.
Project 2: List the trees, bush and shrub species found around your school. Write their local names and their uses.
Sample template: Walk around the school campus with a notebook. For each plant record: (i) common name (e.g. neem), (ii) local name (e.g. Hindi: neem; Tamil: vembu), (iii) life form (tree/shrub/grass), (iv) uses (medicinal, fuelwood, fodder, ornamental, fruit). Typical urban schoolyard list — neem (medicinal, shade), peepal (ritual, shade), gulmohar (ornamental), bougainvillea (hedge), babool (fuelwood), curry leaf (kitchen), banana (fruit), bermuda grass (lawn). Cross-reference with chapter species (teak, sal, sandalwood) only if those grow naturally in your region.
Activity 5.7 · IMAGINE — A Day Inside Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve
- Imagine you are a wildlife biologist trekking from the buffer zone toward the core zone of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve at 4,500 m altitude.
- Describe what changes you observe in vegetation as you climb from the transition zone to the core zone.
- Explain in two sentences why the core zone is the most strictly protected — and what would happen if a road were built through it.
Pointers: Transition zone shows farms, villages and pine plantations; buffer zone has dense oak, deodar and silver fir; the core zone above 3,500 m carries alpine meadows, juniper, birch and rhododendron, and finally tundra moss-and-lichen. The core is the most strictly protected because it harbours the rarest species (snow leopard, Himalayan musk deer, Himalayan tahr) and the genetic seed bank of the entire ecosystem; a road would fragment the habitat, allow invasive species in, and bring poachers within reach of the rarest fauna.
📋
Competency-Based Questions — Wildlife & Biosphere Reserves
Case Study: Anjali is preparing a documentary on India's wildlife heritage. She has these data points: 18 Biosphere Reserves with 12 listed by UNESCO; 107 National Parks and 573 Wildlife Sanctuaries; tigers up from 1,411 (2006) to 3,682 (2023); 4–5 % of all known plant and animal species on Earth are found in India. She wants to weave these facts into a story about why India is a global biodiversity superpower.
Q1. Project Tiger was launched in:
L1 RememberAnswer: (C) — Project Tiger was launched in 1973, initially in 9 reserves covering 16,339 sq. km. Today it spans 58 tiger reserves and 84,487 sq. km of core habitat.
Q2. The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve protects:
L3 ApplyAnswer: (B) — Gulf of Mannar (designated 1989) lies along the south-eastern coast of Tamil Nadu and protects coral reefs, sea-grass beds, and dugongs — one of India's most important marine biosphere reserves.
Q3. Tigers in India rose from 1,411 in 2006 to 3,682 in 2023. The most plausible reason is:
L4 AnalyseAnswer: (C) — The expansion of the tiger reserve network and stronger enforcement under Project Tiger are the primary causes. India now hosts more than 75 % of the global wild tiger population — a remarkable conservation success story.
Q4. Which is NOT a Biosphere Reserve recognised on UNESCO's World Network from India?
L2 UnderstandAnswer: (C) — Cold Desert (Himachal Pradesh, designated 2009) is one of India's 18 Biosphere Reserves but is NOT included in UNESCO's World Network. Nilgiri, Sundarban and Pachmarhi are all listed by UNESCO.
HOT Q. Anjali's documentary needs a closing argument: "Why should a city schoolgirl in Mumbai care about a Biosphere Reserve in Sikkim that she may never visit?" Draft a 5-line argument for her covering: (i) ecosystem services, (ii) economic value, (iii) cultural/aesthetic value, (iv) climate-stabilisation role, and (v) inter-generational duty.
L6 CreateHint: (i) The Khangchendzonga reserve protects glaciers and forests that feed the Teesta and ultimately the Brahmaputra — Mumbai's monsoons depend on the same Bay of Bengal evaporation–condensation circuit. (ii) Eco-tourism plus minor forest produce add to national GDP. (iii) Hangul, snow leopard and rhododendron are part of India's living heritage. (iv) Forests are India's biggest carbon sink — a Sikkim reserve absorbs Mumbai's CO₂. (v) Biodiversity once lost cannot be re-created; today's preservation is tomorrow's option to use new medicines, foods and inspiration. Closing line: "You may never see Khangchendzonga, but you breathe its forests every day."
⚖️ Assertion–Reason Questions — Wildlife & Biosphere Reserves
Options:
(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(B) Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
(C) A is true, but R is false.
(D) A is false, but R is true.
(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(B) Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
(C) A is true, but R is false.
(D) A is false, but R is true.
Assertion (A): India holds about 4–5 % of the world's known plant and animal species in just 2.4 % of the global land area.
Reason (R): India spans an enormous range of ecosystems — from tropical rain forests of the Western Ghats to the alpine meadows of the Himalayas to the mangrove swamps of the Sundarbans.
Answer: (A) — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation. The astonishing climatic and altitudinal diversity allows so many species to find their niche on a relatively small landmass.
Assertion (A): Project Tiger has been one of India's most successful conservation programmes.
Reason (R): The Indian tiger population, which had crashed to 1,411 in 2006, has risen to 3,682 in 2023 — more than 75 % of the global tiger population.
Answer: (A) — Both statements are true and R explains A. The expansion from 9 to 58 tiger reserves, the increase in core habitat from 16,339 to 84,487 sq. km, and stringent anti-poaching enforcement together produced this rebound.
Assertion (A): A Biosphere Reserve is divided into three concentric zones — core, buffer and transition.
Reason (R): Each concentric zone permits identical levels of human activity to ensure equitable access to natural resources.
Answer: (C) — A is true: biosphere reserves do have three zones. R is false: the zones are deliberately different in the activities they permit — the core is no-go, the buffer permits research and education, and only the transition zone allows sustainable settlement, agriculture and tourism. The three-zone design is precisely what allows simultaneous conservation, sustainable use, and research.
📌 Chapter 5 — Quick Summary
- Natural vegetation = an undisturbed plant community fully adjusted to its climate and soil. Climate, rainfall, soil and relief decide what grows where.
- Five forest groups: Tropical Evergreen & Semi-Evergreen (>200 cm), Tropical Deciduous (Moist 100–200 cm; Dry 70–100 cm — "monsoon forests"), Tropical Thorn (<50 cm), Montane (altitude-controlled) and Littoral & Swamp (coastal).
- Himalayan altitudinal sequence: sal/foothills → oak/chestnut (1,000–2,000 m) → chir pine/deodar (1,500–1,750 m) → blue pine/spruce (2,225–3,048 m) → silver fir/birch/rhododendron alpine (3,000–4,000 m) → tundra mosses & lichens above.
- Mangroves: 4,992 sq. km in India = 7 % of world total. Sundarbans (Sundari tree), A&N Islands, Mahanadi/Godavari/Krishna/Cauvery deltas.
- Forest Policy 1952 (revised 1988): target 33 % of geographical area under forest. Social forestry → urban + rural + farm. Rural forestry → agro-forestry + community forestry. Plus Joint Forest Management.
- Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 (amended 1991): 107 National Parks + 573 Wildlife Sanctuaries. Special schemes: Project Tiger 1973, Project Elephant 1992, Crocodile Breeding, Project Hangul, Himalayan Musk Deer.
- 18 Biosphere Reserves; 12 on UNESCO's World Network. Three concentric zones: Core (no human activity), Buffer (research, education) and Transition (sustainable settlement and tourism).
- Tigers: 1,411 (2006) → 3,682 (2023) — over 75 % of the global tiger population now lives in India.
5.18 Key Terms
EcosystemA community of living organisms (plants, animals, micro-organisms) interacting with their non-living environment (soil, water, climate) as a system.
BiomeA large, regional ecosystem characterised by distinctive vegetation and climate — e.g. tropical rain forest biome, desert biome, tundra biome.
BiodiversityThe variety of life — number of species, genetic variation within species, and variety of ecosystems — in a given area or on the planet.
Evergreen ForestA forest in which trees keep their leaves throughout the year because no climatic season compels simultaneous leaf-fall.
Deciduous ForestA forest in which trees shed all their leaves in a particular dry season; in India also called the monsoon forest.
XerophyteA plant adapted to grow in dry, hot conditions — small/absent leaves, thick stems, deep tap roots, thorns. Examples: babool, khejri, ber.
MangroveA salt-tolerant tree growing in coastal tidal zones; classic Indian example is the Sundari of the Sundarbans.
MontanePertaining to mountains; montane forests change with altitude rather than latitude.
AlpineThe vegetation of high mountains above the tree-line, typically 3,000–4,000 m in the Himalayas.
Biosphere ReserveA unique and representative ecosystem, internationally recognised by UNESCO under the Man and Biosphere Programme; structured into core, buffer and transition zones.
JFM (Joint Forest Management)A partnership between local communities and State Forest Departments to protect and regenerate degraded forests in exchange for usufruct rights.
Social ForestryThe management and protection of forests and afforestation on barren lands for the country's environmental, social and rural development.
Agro-forestryRaising trees and crops together on the same land — combines forestry with agriculture for food, fodder, fuel, timber and fruit.
Project TigerA 1973 conservation scheme to save India's tiger; expanded from 9 to 58 reserves; tigers rose from 1,411 (2006) to 3,682 (2023).
SundariHeritiera fomes — the dominant mangrove tree of the Sundarbans, after which the forest is named.
SundarbansThe world's largest mangrove forest, lying in the Ganga–Brahmaputra delta in West Bengal; designated as a Biosphere Reserve in 1989 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
AI Tutor
Class 11 Geography — India: Physical Environment
Ready