UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Two cheetahs released into M.P.’s third conservation site

Q1. With reference to the conservation approach followed under Project Cheetah, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Releasing African cheetahs into Indian protected areas from which the species had disappeared is a reintroduction, and therefore a form of in-situ conservation.
  2. The project restores the species by moving wild individuals between countries, not by breeding cheetahs in Indian zoos for later release.
  3. Because the founder animals were brought from another continent, the project is classed as ex-situ conservation.
  • A. 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. The cheetahs released at Kuno, Gandhi Sagar and Veerangana Durgavati come from African populations, not from the Asiatic subspecies that once lived in India.
  2. The Asiatic cheetah is classified as Extinct in the Wild on the IUCN Red List.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q3. With reference to the cheetah and its conservation status, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The cheetahs of Africa and the Asiatic cheetah of Iran belong to the same species, Acinonyx jubatus.
  2. On the IUCN Red List, the cheetah as a species is classified as Critically Endangered.
  3. On the IUCN Red List, a subspecies can be placed in a higher threat category than the species to which it belongs.
  • A. 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q4. Project Cheetah aims to build a metapopulation of cheetahs across several protected areas. In this context, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A metapopulation is a set of spatially separated subpopulations of a species that are linked by occasional movement of individuals between them.
  2. If a subpopulation at one site dies out, animals dispersing from other sites can recolonise that site.
  3. Movement of animals between sites keeps genes flowing, which reduces inbreeding in small subpopulations.
  • A. 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1 and 2 only

Q5. Consider the following information on Project Cheetah: (I) 8 cheetahs from Namibia, 12 from South Africa and a later batch from Botswana were brought to India. (II) A recent official update put India's cheetah population at 53, of which 33 were born in India. (III) The long-term goal is a metapopulation of 60–70 cheetahs across about 17,000 sq km. Which of the following inferences can validly be drawn from the above information?

  1. Cheetahs have bred in India after being translocated from Africa.
  2. Not all the cheetahs brought from Africa are part of the current population.
  3. The long-term goal can be met only by importing more cheetahs from Africa.
  4. Most deaths among the imported cheetahs were caused by poaching.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3 only

Q6. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. Project Cheetah counts strengthening carbon sinks among its goals even though it targets open forests and grasslands rather than dense forests.
  2. Grasslands store a large amount of carbon below ground, in roots and soils, where it can stay locked away for long periods.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q7. With reference to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and tiger reserves, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The NTCA is a statutory body constituted under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, through an amendment to that Act.
  2. A tiger reserve is notified by the Central Government on the recommendation of the NTCA.
  3. The boundaries of a tiger reserve cannot be altered except on the NTCA's recommendation and with the approval of the National Board for Wild Life.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 and 2 only