Question

What are the different strategies for biodiversity conservation in India?

Answer 1

There are two main strategies for the conservation of biodiversity:

(i) In-situ conservation: The natural habitat of the organisms is protected so the protection of organisms takes place automatically.

It includes:

1. Biosphere reserves: There are 425 biosphere reserves worldwide, 14 of which are in India. India is home to three of the world's biodiversity hotspots. Hotspots are places with a high concentration of endemic and endangered species.
2. National parks or wildlife sanctuaries: There are around 90 national parks and 448 wildlife sanctuaries in India. There are 5 national parks and 11 sanctuaries in Maharashtra.
3. Sacred groves: These are untouched tracts of forest that have been protected in the name of God. Some endangered plant and animal species can be found here.

(ii) Ex-situ conservation: It is the process of protecting the endangered species of plants or animals by removing it from threatened habitats and placing them under the care of humans.

It includes:

1. Botanical gardens, zoological parks, and arboreta are examples of traditional ex-situ conservation practices.
2. Seed banks to preserve wild food grains and vegetables.
3. Cryopreservation refers to the freezing of materials.