Vision Academy EducareVision Academy Educare
Question 28 of 30 · Biodiversity, National Parks & Wildlife
Questionmedium
This question was previously asked in

Police

Biosphere Reserves are designated under an initiative of:

Answer View answer ▾

Answer: Option A — UNESCO

Detailed Solution

Biosphere Reserves are designated under UNESCO's "Man and the Biosphere" (MAB) Programme.

About the MAB Programme:

  • It was launched by UNESCO in 1971.
  • It is an intergovernmental scientific programme that aims to improve the relationship between people and their environment.
  • It combines natural and social sciences to conserve biodiversity while supporting sustainable economic development.
  • The first biosphere reserves were designated in 1976.
  • The "World Network of Biosphere Reserves" now includes more than 750 sites in about 140 countries.

Zones of a biosphere reserve:

  • Core area: strictly protected; only research and monitoring are allowed.
  • Buffer zone: surrounds the core; used for research, education and limited activities that do not harm the core.
  • Transition area: the outer part, where local communities live and carry out sustainable economic activities.

Biosphere reserves in India:

  • India has 18 biosphere reserves, set up by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
  • The first was the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (1986), spread across Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
  • The largest is the Gulf of Kachchh (Kutch) Biosphere Reserve in Gujarat; the smallest is Dibru-Saikhowa in Assam.

Of these, 13 are part of UNESCO's World Network, including Nilgiri (the first, in 2000), Gulf of Mannar, Sundarbans, Nanda Devi, Nokrek, Pachmarhi, Similipal, Achanakmar-Amarkantak, Great Nicobar, Agasthyamala, Khangchendzonga, Panna and Cold Desert (2025).

Other UNESCO environmental programmes:

  • World Heritage Sites (natural and mixed), under the World Heritage Convention, 1972.
  • UNESCO Global Geoparks (2015).

Other designations:

  • Ramsar Sites: wetlands, under the Ramsar Convention (1971), not UNESCO.
  • Biodiversity hotspots: a concept of Norman Myers (1988), used by Conservation International.
  • International Day for Biosphere Reserves: 3 November (since 2022).

Why not the other options?

  • ✗UNEP (1972, Nairobi) is the UN's environment agency.
  • ✗The IUCN (1948, Gland) publishes the Red List of threatened species.
  • ✗The WWF (1961) is a non-governmental conservation organisation.

Quick tip

Remember: Biosphere Reserves = UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme (1971); India has 18 (first Nilgiri 1986; largest Gulf of Kachchh); 13 in the UNESCO network; core, buffer and transition zones.

💬 Discussions on this question

Ask a doubt ›

Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.

Ask a doubt

More Biodiversity, National Parks & Wildlife Questions

View all ›
  1. Q1.Bandipur National Park is located in which state?
  2. Q2.The Namdapha Tiger Reserve is located in:
  3. Q3.The Manas Biosphere Reserve is located in:
  4. Q4.The Himalaya, the Western Ghats, Indo-Burma and Sundaland, which cover parts of India, are:
  5. Q5.Valmiki National Park is located in which state?

More General Knowledge Questions

  1. Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
  2. Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
  3. Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
  4. Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
  5. Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms

Biodiversity, National Parks & Wildlife — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Biodiversity, National Parks & Wildlife, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers biodiversity and its conservation: biodiversity hotspots, endangered and endemic species, the IUCN Red List, in-situ and ex-situ conservation, India's national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves and biosphere reserves, and wildlife conservation projects. Questions commonly ask in which state a national park is located and which animal it is known for (Kaziranga in Assam for the one-horned rhinoceros, and Gir in Gujarat for the Asiatic lion), when Project Tiger began (1973), and which regions of India are biodiversity hotspots. The number of protected areas changes as new ones are declared, so check the latest lists. Practise the biodiversity and conservation questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

‹ All Biodiversity, National Parks & Wildlife questionsBrowse all topics ›