Biosphere Reserves — Set 1

Correct Answer: A. Himachal Pradesh

• **Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve** = located in Himachal Pradesh, encompassing Pin Valley National Park and high-altitude cold arid areas. • **Snow Leopard** — the reserve's flagship species, thriving in its unique high-altitude ecosystem above 3,000 m. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Sikkim: home to Khangchendzonga BR, not Cold Desert; Uttarakhand: has Nanda Devi BR; Arunachal Pradesh: has Dihang-Dibang BR.

Correct Answer: A. Madhya Pradesh

• **Panna Biosphere Reserve** = located in Madhya Pradesh, with the Ken River flowing through it as the primary water source for wildlife. • **2020** — the year Panna was included in UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves, making it one of India's newest MAB entries. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Rajasthan: has no biosphere reserve named Panna; Maharashtra: has Sahyadri BR; Gujarat: has Kachchh BR.

Correct Answer: B. Dibru-Saikhowa

• **Dibru-Saikhowa** = the smallest biosphere reserve in India, located in Assam on the south bank of the Brahmaputra river. • **Feral horses** — the reserve's distinctive feature, home to semi-wild horses found nowhere else in India's protected areas. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Nokrek: located in Meghalaya, medium-sized; Panna: located in Madhya Pradesh, medium-sized; Kachchh: the largest biosphere reserve in India.

Correct Answer: D. Andhra Pradesh

• **Seshachalam Hills Biosphere Reserve** = located in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, the natural habitat of the rare Red Sanders tree. • **Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus)** — the reserve's most valuable endemic species, highly prized and protected from smuggling. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Tamil Nadu: has Nilgiri and Agasthyamala BRs; Telangana: carved from AP but Seshachalam remains in AP; Karnataka: has Nilgiri BR (partial).

Correct Answer: D. Dibru-Saikhowa

• **Dibru-Saikhowa** = a unique riverine biosphere reserve in Tinsukia district of Assam, bounded by the Brahmaputra, Lohit, and Dibru rivers. • **Moist mixed semi-evergreen forests** — the dominant vegetation type of this island ecosystem, supporting diverse grasslands and floodplains. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Dihang-Dibang: located in Arunachal Pradesh, not a riverine island; Nokrek: in Meghalaya's Garo Hills; Manas: in Assam foothills but not a riverine island.

Correct Answer: A. Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh

• **Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve** = spans Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, serving as the source of three major rivers: Narmada, Johilla, and Son. • **Narmada River** — originates at Amarkantak within this reserve, making it one of India's most sacred river-source biosphere reserves. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Maharashtra and MP: incorrect pairing; Odisha and CG: Odisha is not part of this reserve; UP and MP: UP is not included in this reserve.

Correct Answer: C. Buffer Zone

• **Buffer Zone** = the middle zone surrounding the core area, permitting research, environmental education, and managed tourism. • **Three-zone system** — Core, Buffer, and Transition zones form the standard UNESCO MAB structure, each with progressively more human activity allowed. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Transition Zone: outermost zone allowing settlements and economic activities; Peripheral Zone: not an official biosphere reserve zone; Core Zone: strictly no human interference allowed.

Correct Answer: C. Sikkim

• **Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve** = located in Sikkim, home to Mount Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest peak at 8,586 m. • **2018** — the year it was added to UNESCO's MAB list, recognising its significance for both high-altitude biodiversity and indigenous cultures. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Nagaland: has no such biosphere reserve; Assam: has Manas, Dibru-Saikhowa, Dihang-Dibang BRs; Manipur: has no UNESCO-listed biosphere reserve.

Correct Answer: A. Odisha

• **Similipal Biosphere Reserve** = located in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, named after the Semul (red silk cotton) trees abundant there. • **UNESCO World Network** — Similipal is recognised as part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves, highlighting its global conservation value. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: West Bengal: has Sundarbans BR; Bihar: has no biosphere reserve; Jharkhand: has no designated biosphere reserve.

Correct Answer: D. Periyar National Park

• **Periyar National Park** = NOT part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve; it is a separate protected area in Kerala's Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts. • **1986** — the year Nilgiri BR was established as India's first biosphere reserve, covering parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Silent Valley National Park: IS part of Nilgiri BR in Kerala; Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary: IS part of Nilgiri BR; Bandipur National Park: IS part of Nilgiri BR in Karnataka.