Topic 13: Wildlife, Protected Areas & Wetlands

India is one of 17 megadiverse nations — a tiger, an elephant, a one-horned rhino and a Ramsar wetland all live inside its borders. This chapter maps how India protects them. It sets out the protected-area network — national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and conservation & community reserves — under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, then the flagship species programmes: Project Tiger & tiger reserves (NTCA), Project Elephant, and rhino, lion & other efforts. It covers biosphere reserves, the IUCN Red List categories, coral reefs & mangroves, and wetlands under the Ramsar Convention (India's Ramsar sites & the Montreux Record). With labelled diagrams, tables and PYQs + full model answers.

UPSC Prelims · Mains GS-III Protected Areas ~46 min read Ramsar & Corals Very High Weight

1.India's Biodiversity & Hotspots
2.Protected-Area Network & WPA 1972
3.Project Tiger & Tiger Reserves
4.Elephant, Rhino, Lion & Species Projects
5.Biosphere Reserves
6.IUCN Red List & CITES
7.Coral Reefs & Mangroves
8.Wetlands & the Ramsar Convention
9.Threats & Conservation Governance
10.Significance & GS Synthesis
11.Current Affairs Link
12.Prelims PYQs
13.Mains PYQs + Model Answers
★15-Minute Revision Box

Conceptual Clarity — Why this Chapter Matters

Protected areas, species projects, Ramsar sites & IUCN status are among the densest Prelims topics; conservation governance is heavy GS-III. Sort your prep three ways:

Definitional / static: NP vs sanctuary vs conservation/community reserve; tiger reserve (NTCA); biosphere reserve zones (core/buffer/transition); IUCN categories (EX→LC); Ramsar criteria.
Statement-elimination: WPA 1972 schedules, which state a park/reserve is in, Ramsar sites & the Montreux Record, coral-reef locations, CITES appendices.
Applied / synthesis (Mains GS-III): human-wildlife conflict, conservation vs development, wetland & coral loss, community-based conservation. Needs concept + example + judgement.

Territorial note: India's protected areas span the whole northern belt including wildlife habitats in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, which are Indian sovereign territory; the LoC and LAC are not settled international borders.

1. India's Biodiversity & Hotspots

India has ~2.4% of the world's land but ~8% of its recorded species — one of 17 megadiverse countries, with four biodiversity hotspots.

Four hotspots (in/with India): the Himalaya, the Western Ghats–Sri Lanka, the Indo-Burma (NE), and Sundaland (Nicobar Islands).
Endemism: the Western Ghats & NE are especially rich in endemic species.
Levels of diversity: genetic, species & ecosystem diversity (all protected under the Biological Diversity Act 2002).

Prelims lock: India = 1 of 17 megadiverse nations; 4 hotspots — Himalaya, Western Ghats, Indo-Burma (NE), Sundaland (Nicobar).

2. Protected-Area Network & WPA 1972

The Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 underpins four categories of protected area, in decreasing order of restriction.

Fig 13.1 — India's protected areas, from strictly-protected national parks & tiger-reserve cores to sanctuaries and the more people-friendly conservation & community reserves.

Category	Key feature
National Park	Strictest; no grazing/private rights; declared by state
Wildlife Sanctuary	Some regulated human activity/rights permitted
Conservation Reserve	Buffer/corridor land (govt-owned); 2002 amendment
Community Reserve	Private/community land for conservation; 2002 amendment

WPA 1972 schedules: list species by protection level (Schedule I = highest); the 2022 amendment restructured schedules & aligned with CITES.
Boundaries: a sanctuary can be upgraded to a national park; national parks may lie within tiger-reserve/biosphere-reserve boundaries.

Prelims lock: restriction order NP > sanctuary > conservation/community reserve; conservation & community reserves were added by the 2002 WPA amendment; Schedule I = highest protection.

3. Project Tiger & Tiger Reserves

Project Tiger (1973) is India's flagship conservation programme, now steered by the statutory National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

Structure: a tiger reserve has a core (critical tiger habitat, inviolate) & a buffer (multiple-use); notified under the WPA.
NTCA: statutory body (2006 amendment) that approves tiger reserves & runs the tiger census.
Census: the All-India Tiger Estimation (every 4 years) — India holds ~70% of the world's wild tigers. check for latest update or data
Notable reserves: Jim Corbett, Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Ranthambore, Sundarbans, Nagarhole–Bandipur, Periyar, Sariska.

Prelims lock: Project Tiger (1973); NTCA is statutory (2006); a tiger reserve = inviolate core + multiple-use buffer; India has ~70% of the world's wild tigers.

4. Elephant, Rhino, Lion & Species Projects

Beyond the tiger, India runs several charismatic-species programmes.

Project / species	Note
Project Elephant (1992)	Elephant reserves & corridors; Gaj Yatra; MIKE
One-horned rhino	Kaziranga (Assam) — ~2/3 of world's rhinos; DNA/relocation
Asiatic lion	Gir (Gujarat) — only wild population; Project Lion
Cheetah	Reintroduced at Kuno (MP) from Africa (2022)
Others	Project Snow Leopard, Dolphin (Gangetic), Great Indian Bustard, sea turtle, vulture

Elephant: India's Natural Heritage Animal; Project Elephant protects corridors against fragmentation & conflict.
Rhino: Kaziranga is the rhino stronghold; poaching for horn is the key threat.
Lion: the Asiatic lion survives only in Gir, prompting relocation debates (Kuno was proposed).

Prelims lock: Kaziranga = one-horned rhino; Gir = Asiatic lion; Kuno = cheetah reintroduction (2022); Project Elephant 1992; Gangetic dolphin = National Aquatic Animal.

5. Biosphere Reserves

Biosphere reserves are large multi-use conservation units with three zones, some on UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) world network.

Zones: core (legally protected, no human activity), buffer (research/limited use), transition (settlements, sustainable use).
Count: India has 18 biosphere reserves; several are on the UNESCO MAB list (Nilgiri — the first, Sundarbans, Nanda Devi, Gulf of Mannar, Nokrek, Pachmarhi, Simlipal, Achanakmar-Amarkantak, Great Nicobar, Agasthyamalai, Khangchendzonga, Panna). check for latest update or data
Nilgiri: India's first biosphere reserve (1986).

Prelims lock: biosphere-reserve zones = core / buffer / transition; Nilgiri was the first (1986); many Indian BRs are on the UNESCO MAB world network.

6. IUCN Red List & CITES

Global conservation status & trade are governed by the IUCN Red List & CITES.

IUCN category	Meaning
EX / EW	Extinct / Extinct in the Wild
CR	Critically Endangered (e.g., Great Indian Bustard, gharial)
EN	Endangered (e.g., tiger, red panda)
VU	Vulnerable (e.g., one-horned rhino, sloth bear)
NT / LC	Near Threatened / Least Concern

CITES: regulates international trade in species — Appendix I (no trade), II (regulated), III (national listing).
CMS: Convention on Migratory Species (India hosted CoP13, 2020 — the "Gandhinagar" summit).

Prelims lock: IUCN order EX → EW → CR → EN → VU → NT → LC; CITES Appendix I = strictest trade ban; CMS CoP13 was in Gandhinagar (2020).

7. Coral Reefs & Mangroves

Coral reefs — "rainforests of the sea" — and mangroves are India's key coastal ecosystems.

Coral reef sites: Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kachchh, Lakshadweep (atolls), Andaman & Nicobar (fringing/barrier), Malvan.
Conditions: corals need warm (23–25°C), clear, shallow, saline, sediment-free water; symbiotic zooxanthellae give colour & food.
Bleaching: warming/stress expels zooxanthellae — corals whiten & can die (a climate-change indicator).
Mangroves: Sundarbans (largest), Bhitarkanika, deltas — cyclone shield & blue-carbon sink (see Topic 12).

Prelims lock: India's four main coral areas = Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kachchh, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar; zooxanthellae drive coral colour; bleaching = climate-stress indicator.

8. Wetlands & the Ramsar Convention

Wetlands — land saturated with water (marsh, lake, mangrove, delta) — are protected internationally by the Ramsar Convention (1971).

Ramsar sites: "Wetlands of International Importance"; India has 75+ Ramsar sites (the most in Asia). check for latest update or data
Examples: Chilika (Odisha, first with Keoladeo), Keoladeo (Bharatpur), Wular, Loktak, Sambhar, Sundarbans, Point Calimere, Vembanad-Kol, Renuka.
Montreux Record: Ramsar sites facing ecological change — India's Keoladeo & Loktak have been on it.
Rules: Wetlands (Conservation & Management) Rules 2017; Amrit Dharohar initiative for wetland-community livelihoods.
Services: water storage, groundwater recharge, flood buffering, fisheries, migratory-bird habitat, carbon.

Prelims lock: Ramsar Convention 1971 (Iran); India has 75+ Ramsar sites (most in Asia); Chilika & Keoladeo were the first two; Montreux Record = threatened Ramsar wetlands. check for latest update or data

9. Threats & Conservation Governance

India's wildlife faces mounting pressure, met by a layered governance framework.

Threats: habitat loss & fragmentation, poaching & illegal trade, human-wildlife conflict, invasive species, pollution, climate change, linear infrastructure (roads/rail through corridors).
Laws & bodies: WPA 1972, Biological Diversity Act 2002 (NBA), CAMPA, NTCA, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), Zoological/Botanical Surveys.
Community conservation: eco-development, community reserves, sacred groves & the role of local people.

Human-wildlife conflict: shrinking, fragmented habitat pushes elephants, leopards & tigers into farms & towns — conflict management (corridors, early warning, compensation) is now central to conservation. check for latest update or data

10. Significance & GS Synthesis

Wildlife protection is ecology, economy & ethics together — a GS-III core with GS-I & GS-II links.

Ecological: keystone species (tiger, elephant), ecosystem services, genetic wealth.
Economic: ecotourism, fisheries, watershed & coastal protection (corals/mangroves/wetlands).
Governance: balancing conservation with local livelihoods & development (linear projects, eco-sensitive zones).
Global: India's commitments under CBD, Ramsar, CITES, CMS & the 30x30 (Kunming-Montreal) target.

GS synthesis: India's conservation task is to keep its megadiverse heritage — tigers, wetlands, corals — while meeting development & livelihood needs; corridors, community stewardship & the 30x30 target are the way forward.

11. Current Affairs & Contemporary Relevance (2024–2026)

Wildlife stays "current" through tiger & elephant censuses, new Ramsar sites, cheetah reintroduction, and human-wildlife conflict — verify the latest status. check for latest update or data

11.1 Species & census

Tiger/elephant estimates & cheetah: new All-India tiger & elephant figures and the Kuno cheetah project keep flagship species topical. check for latest update or data

11.2 Wetlands & Ramsar

Growing Ramsar list: India keeps adding Ramsar sites (75+, most in Asia) with the Amrit Dharohar wetland initiative. check for latest update or data

11.3 Conservation targets & conflict

30x30 & conflict: the Kunming-Montreal 30x30 target and rising human-wildlife conflict (elephants, leopards) drive corridor & eco-sensitive-zone debates. check for latest update or data

11.4 Why it matters

Development	Why it matters for UPSC
Tiger/elephant census	Conservation outcomes (GS-III).
New Ramsar sites	Wetland governance (GS-III).
Cheetah project	Reintroduction & ecology (GS-III).
30x30 target	Global biodiversity goals (GS-III).

Recurring exam hooks:

PA categories & species projects · Ramsar sites · coral areas (evergreen Prelims).
IUCN status & CITES · biosphere reserves (favourite factual sets).
Human-wildlife conflict · conservation vs development · wetland loss (evergreen Mains GS-III).

12. Prelims PYQs (exam-style, high-frequency themes)

Objective questions anchored to genuinely tested UPSC themes on India's wildlife, protected areas and wetlands. Each carries a worked rationale.

UPSC Prelims — exam-style

Q: Which of the following has the strictest legal protection?

(a) National park
(b) Wildlife sanctuary
(c) Conservation reserve
(d) Community reserve

Answer: (a) A national park is the strictest — no grazing or private rights; sanctuaries allow some regulated activity; conservation & community reserves are the most people-friendly.

UPSC Prelims — exam-style

Q: The one-horned rhinoceros is chiefly protected at:

(a) Gir
(b) Kaziranga
(c) Ranthambore
(d) Bandipur

Answer: (b) Kaziranga (Assam) holds ~two-thirds of the world's one-horned rhinos; Gir = Asiatic lion; Ranthambore/Bandipur = tigers.

UPSC Prelims — exam-style

Q: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a:

(a) Non-statutory advisory body
(b) Statutory body under the Wildlife (Protection) Act
(c) Registered NGO
(d) Constitutional body

Answer: (b) The NTCA is statutory, created by the 2006 amendment to the WPA 1972; it steers Project Tiger & the tiger census.

UPSC Prelims — exam-style

Q: A biosphere reserve typically has which zones?

(a) Core, buffer and transition
(b) Reserved, protected and village
(c) Critical, ecological and general
(d) Red, green and blue

Answer: (a) Biosphere reserves have a legally-protected core, a research/limited-use buffer and a sustainable-use transition zone.

UPSC Prelims — exam-style

Q: The "Montreux Record" is associated with:

(a) Tiger reserves in danger
(b) Ramsar wetlands undergoing ecological change
(c) Endangered coral reefs
(d) World Heritage forests

Answer: (b) The Montreux Record lists Ramsar "Wetlands of International Importance" facing/likely to face ecological change — India's Keoladeo & Loktak featured on it.

UPSC Prelims — exam-style

Q: Consider India's coral-reef areas:

1. Gulf of Mannar 2. Gulf of Kachchh 3. Lakshadweep 4. Sundarbans

Which are major coral-reef sites?

(a) 1, 2 and 4 only
(b) 1, 2 and 3 only
(c) 2, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4 only

Answer: (b) Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kachchh, Lakshadweep & Andaman–Nicobar are India's coral areas; the Sundarbans is a mangrove delta, not a coral reef.

UPSC Prelims — exam-style

Q: The Asiatic lion in the wild is found only in:

(a) Kanha
(b) Gir
(c) Kaziranga
(d) Periyar

Answer: (b) The Gir forest (Gujarat) holds the world's only wild Asiatic lion population; relocation to Kuno (MP) has been debated.

UPSC Prelims — exam-style

Q: Coral bleaching is caused primarily by:

(a) Rising sea-surface temperature / stress expelling zooxanthellae
(b) Excess sunlight only
(c) Freshwater dilution alone
(d) Tidal action

Answer: (a) Warming & stress make corals expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae, losing colour & food — a key climate-change indicator.

Prelims — anticipated themes

Likely: PA categories & WPA schedules · NP/sanctuary states · Project Tiger/NTCA · rhino/lion/cheetah sites · biosphere-reserve zones & UNESCO MAB · IUCN & CITES · coral areas & bleaching · Ramsar sites & Montreux Record. check for latest update or data

13. Mains PYQs + Model Answers

Genuine UPSC GS-III themes on India's wildlife, protected areas and wetlands. Each carries a full answer skeleton — Introduction → body → Conclusion.

UPSC Mains GS-III — style 15 marks · 250 words

Q: Human-wildlife conflict is rising in India. Examine its causes and suggest management measures.

Model Answer

Introduction: as habitat shrinks & fragments, elephants, tigers & leopards increasingly enter farms & towns — a growing conservation & livelihood problem.
Causes: habitat loss & corridor severance, linear infrastructure, prey depletion, cropping near forests, expanding populations of some species.
Impacts: crop & property damage, human & animal deaths, retaliatory killing, erosion of local support for conservation.
Measures: secure corridors & eco-sensitive zones, early-warning & barriers, prompt compensation, community stewardship, land-use planning.
Conclusion: conflict management — not just protected areas — is now central to keeping both people & wildlife safe.

UPSC Mains GS-III — style 15 marks · 250 words

Q: Discuss the ecological significance of wetlands and the framework for their conservation in India.

Model Answer

Introduction: wetlands — "kidneys of the landscape" — store water, buffer floods & host migratory birds; India has 75+ Ramsar sites.
Significance: groundwater recharge, flood & drought buffering, fisheries, carbon sink, biodiversity & livelihoods.
Threats: encroachment, pollution, siltation, drainage for construction, invasive species.
Framework: Ramsar Convention, Wetlands Rules 2017, Amrit Dharohar, Montreux Record, National Wetlands Inventory.
Conclusion: integrating wetlands into urban & water planning is essential climate & disaster resilience.

UPSC Mains GS-III — style 15 marks · 250 words

Q: Evaluate the success of Project Tiger and its wider conservation lessons.

Model Answer

Introduction: Project Tiger (1973) is a global conservation success — India now holds ~70% of wild tigers.
Successes: rising tiger numbers, an inviolate-core model, NTCA governance, umbrella-species protection of whole forests.
Concerns: uneven recovery, relocation & rights issues, corridor loss, over-tourism, poaching.
Lessons: flagship-species focus, science-based monitoring, community involvement, corridor connectivity.
Conclusion: the tiger's recovery shows conservation works when law, science & community align.

UPSC Mains GS-III — style 15 marks · 250 words

Q: Coral reefs are threatened ecosystems. Discuss their importance and the threats they face in India.

Model Answer

Introduction: corals — "rainforests of the sea" — ring India at the Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kachchh, Lakshadweep & A&N.
Importance: biodiversity, fisheries, coastal protection, tourism & blue economy.
Threats: warming & bleaching, acidification, sedimentation, destructive fishing, pollution & tourism pressure.
Protection: marine protected areas, CRZ rules, reef restoration, climate action.
Conclusion: saving corals is inseparable from climate mitigation & coastal management.

UPSC Mains GS-III — style 10 marks · 150 words

Q: Distinguish between a national park, a wildlife sanctuary and a biosphere reserve.

Model Answer

Introduction: India's protected areas differ in restriction, purpose & scale.
National park: strictest; no rights/grazing; single-species/ecosystem focus.
Sanctuary: some regulated human activity/rights allowed; can be upgraded to a park.
Biosphere reserve: large multi-use unit (core/buffer/transition) integrating conservation with sustainable use & UNESCO MAB.
Conclusion: together they form a graded conservation network from strict to sustainable-use.

Mains — anticipated themes

Likely: human-wildlife conflict · wetlands & Ramsar · Project Tiger evaluation · corals & climate · PA-category distinctions · conservation vs development. check for latest update or data

15-Minute Revision Box

Must-Remember Facts — Wildlife, Protected Areas & Wetlands

Biodiversity:

1 of 17 megadiverse nations
4 hotspots: Himalaya, W. Ghats, Indo-Burma, Sundaland

Protected areas (WPA 1972):

NP > sanctuary > conservation/community reserve
Conservation & community reserves = 2002 amendment
Schedule I = highest protection

Species projects:

Project Tiger 1973; NTCA statutory (2006)
Kaziranga = rhino; Gir = lion; Kuno = cheetah
Project Elephant 1992; Gangetic dolphin = Nat. Aquatic Animal

Biosphere & global:

Zones: core/buffer/transition; Nilgiri = first (1986)
IUCN: EX→EW→CR→EN→VU→NT→LC
CITES App-I strictest; CMS CoP13 = Gandhinagar

Corals:

Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kachchh, Lakshadweep, A&N
Zooxanthellae; bleaching = warming stress

Wetlands:

Ramsar 1971; India 75+ sites (most in Asia)
Chilika & Keoladeo = first two
Montreux Record = threatened Ramsar sites

Highest-frequency themes: PA categories · species-site matches · Ramsar & Montreux · coral areas · IUCN/CITES. One logic: India's megadiverse heritage must be kept alive through a graded network — strict cores, community reserves, corridors — while balancing development & livelihoods.

Type	Restriction
National Park	Strictest
Sanctuary	Some rights
Consv. Reserve	Govt buffer
Comm. Reserve	Community land

Topic 13: Wildlife, Protected Areas & Wetlands

On this page

Conceptual Clarity — Why this Chapter Matters

1. India's Biodiversity & Hotspots

2. Protected-Area Network & WPA 1972

3. Project Tiger & Tiger Reserves

4. Elephant, Rhino, Lion & Species Projects

5. Biosphere Reserves

6. IUCN Red List & CITES

7. Coral Reefs & Mangroves

8. Wetlands & the Ramsar Convention

9. Threats & Conservation Governance

10. Significance & GS Synthesis

11. Current Affairs & Contemporary Relevance (2024–2026)

11.1 Species & census

11.2 Wetlands & Ramsar

11.3 Conservation targets & conflict

11.4 Why it matters

12. Prelims PYQs (exam-style, high-frequency themes)

13. Mains PYQs + Model Answers

Model Answer

Model Answer

Model Answer

Model Answer

Model Answer

15-Minute Revision Box

Must-Remember Facts — Wildlife, Protected Areas & Wetlands