Wildlife Protection Act 1972 — Set 2

Correct Answer: C. 2007

The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) was established in 2007 under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). It is a statutory multi-disciplinary body to combat organized wildlife crime in the country. WCCB collects intelligence and helps coordinate enforcement activities across states and international borders.

Correct Answer: B. Ministry of Home Affairs

The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Its placement under MHA reflects the criminal enforcement dimension of combating wildlife trafficking. WCCB coordinates with police, customs, and forest officials to crack down on wildlife crime networks.

Correct Answer: B. State Government

Under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, the State Government has the power to declare an area as a National Park by notification. The State Government also notifies Wildlife Sanctuaries and Conservation Reserves. However, notification of Marine National Parks requires the Central Government's involvement.

Correct Answer: B. No human activity is allowed in National Parks but limited human activity is permitted in Sanctuaries

The key legal difference is that National Parks prohibit all human activities including grazing and settlement, while Wildlife Sanctuaries permit certain human activities like grazing and collection of forest produce. Boundaries of a National Park cannot be altered without the approval of the State Legislature. This makes National Parks a stricter category of protected area.

Correct Answer: C. Conservation Reserve

Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves were added to the Wildlife Protection Act through the 2002 Amendment, making them the most recent Protected Area categories under the Act. Conservation Reserves can be established on government land between or adjoining protected areas. Community Reserves can include private land with community involvement in management.

Correct Answer: B. State Government

Community Reserves under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 are notified by the State Government. They can be established on community or private land not included in any other protected area. Community Reserves involve local communities in conservation management through a Community Reserve Management Committee.

Correct Answer: C. 10 km

Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) are generally declared within a 10 km radius around Protected Areas like National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries. ESZs act as a shock absorber to minimize the impact of human activities on the core protected zone. Within ESZs, certain activities are prohibited, regulated, or permitted based on the ESZ notification.

Correct Answer: C. Environment Protection Act 1986

Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) notifications are issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change under the Environment Protection Act 1986. ESZs serve as a transition zone between the protected area and the surrounding human-use landscape. The Supreme Court has mandated that every protected area must have at least a 1 km ESZ.

Correct Answer: A. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

CITES stands for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. It is an international agreement to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. India became a signatory to CITES in 1976 and implements its provisions through the Wildlife Protection Act.

Correct Answer: B. Threatened with extinction — trade is generally banned

CITES Appendix I covers species that are threatened with extinction and for which commercial trade is generally prohibited. Examples include tigers, elephants, rhinoceroses, and great apes. Trade in Appendix I species is only permitted in exceptional circumstances such as scientific research, with both import and export permits required.