In the year 2020 which one of the following tiger reserves of India was declared by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve?
Panna Tiger Reserve
Understanding UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and Indian Tiger Reserves
The question asks about a specific tiger reserve in India that received the designation of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the year 2020. To answer this, we need to understand what these terms mean and recall the significant environmental events of that year concerning India's protected areas.
What are UNESCO Biosphere Reserves?
A Biosphere Reserve is a status given by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to areas aiming to reconcile conservation of biodiversity and sustainable use by humans. They are meant to be sites of excellence where innovative approaches to living and working in harmony with nature can be tested and demonstrated.
What are Tiger Reserves in India?
Tiger reserves in India are areas set aside specifically for the conservation of tigers under Project Tiger, a wildlife conservation initiative. These reserves are critical habitats for tigers and many other species, managed to ensure the survival and propagation of the tiger population.
Identifying the 2020 UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
In 2020, a significant Indian tiger reserve was added to the UNESCO list of Biosphere Reserves. Let's look at the options provided:
- Panna Tiger Reserve
- Namdapha Tiger Reserve
- Dudhwa Tiger Reserve
- Pench Tiger Reserve
Based on records and official declarations from 2020, the tiger reserve that received the prestigious UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status during that year was the Panna Tiger Reserve.
Focus on Panna Tiger Reserve
The Panna Tiger Reserve is located in the Panna and Chhatarpur districts of Madhya Pradesh. It is known for its population of tigers, other wildlife, and diverse ecosystems, including forests, grasslands, and the Ken River. The declaration as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2020 recognized its unique biodiversity and the efforts made towards conservation and sustainable development in and around the reserve.
Analysis of Other Options
- Namdapha Tiger Reserve: Located in Arunachal Pradesh, it is a significant tiger reserve and part of the Namdapha National Park, but it was not declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2020.
- Dudhwa Tiger Reserve: Located in Uttar Pradesh, it is a key tiger habitat within the Dudhwa National Park, but it did not receive the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve designation in 2020.
- Pench Tiger Reserve: Located in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, this famous tiger reserve was not declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2020.
Therefore, the Panna Tiger Reserve is the correct answer as it is the one among the given options that was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the year 2020.
| Tiger Reserve | State(s) | UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Status (as of 2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Panna Tiger Reserve | Madhya Pradesh | Declared in 2020 |
| Namdapha Tiger Reserve | Arunachal Pradesh | Not declared in 2020 |
| Dudhwa Tiger Reserve | Uttar Pradesh | Not declared in 2020 |
| Pench Tiger Reserve | Madhya Pradesh/Maharashtra | Not declared in 2020 |
Revision Table: Key Facts about Panna Tiger Reserve
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Panna and Chhatarpur districts, Madhya Pradesh, India |
| Established as Tiger Reserve | 1994 |
| Rivers | Ken River flows through it |
| Key Species | Tiger, Leopard, Chital, Sambhar, Nilgai, etc. |
| UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Status | Declared in 2020 |
Additional Information: India's Biosphere Reserves
India has a network of Biosphere Reserves, many of which are part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. These reserves represent different biogeographical regions of India and play a crucial role in conservation, research, education, and sustainable development.
- Other prominent UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in India include the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve, Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve, and Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve, among others.
- The addition of Panna in 2020 brought the number of UNESCO recognised sites in India under the MAB programme to 12 at that time.
Important Questions from National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary
The first phase of the ‘action plan for introduction of the Cheetah in India’ witnessed ________ being released in the Kuno National Park of Madhya Pradesh in September 2022.
Consider the following statements regarding Sundarbans:
- The Sundarbans hosts the largest mangrove forests in the world, lying on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal.
- 40% of Sundarban lies in India and the rest in Bangladesh.
- It has been designated both as a UNESCO World Heritage site and as a Wetland of International Importance under Ramsar Convention 1972.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding Citizenship Amendment Act,(CAA) 2019:
- The CAA provides citizenship on the basis of religion to four undocumented non-Muslim communities.
- It exempts the members of the six communities from any criminal case under the Foreigners Act, of 1946 and the Passport Act, of 1920.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The discovery of a large Utricularia population in Keoladeo National Park suggests:
Consider the following statements:
1. Recently, Golden-headed Cisticola has been found in Mathikettan Shola National Park.
2. Mathikettan Shola National Park is located in Idukki district of Kerala.
3. Golden-headed Cisticola has been declared as critically endangered in IUCN Red list.
How many of the above statement is/are correct?
