National Parks & Wildlife — Set 13

Correct Answer: C. Bar-headed geese and pintail ducks

Narsinghgarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh is known for the large congregation of migratory water birds during winter, particularly bar-headed geese, pintail ducks, teals, and various waders that arrive from Central Asia and the Himalayas. The sanctuary has the Narsinghgarh Lake which provides crucial wetland habitat. The sanctuary is also home to leopards, sloth bears, wolves, and Indian civets. It is an important site on India's avifaunal map for its winter bird counts.

Correct Answer: B. Within a state capital city

Van Vihar National Park is uniquely located within Bhopal, the state capital of Madhya Pradesh, making it one of the very few national parks situated within a major city in India. The park is spread over about 445 hectares and serves as both a national park and a modern zoo. Established in 1983, it houses tigers, leopards, lions, white tigers, bears, and crocodiles that are mostly rescued or non-releasable animals. Van Vihar is also an important eco-tourism destination and environmental education center for the people of Bhopal.

Correct Answer: B. Baloo in 'The Jungle Book'

Baloo, the wise and lovable brown bear in Rudyard Kipling's 'The Jungle Book', is based on the Indian Sloth Bear found in the Seoni and Pench forests of Madhya Pradesh. The sloth bear is indeed a significant predator in Indian forests and is well-known for its shaggy coat, long claws, and ability to raid beehives. Madhya Pradesh has a healthy population of sloth bears particularly in Pench, Kanha, Satpura, and Bandhavgarh. The sloth bear is listed as 'Vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List due to habitat loss and poaching for bear bile.

Correct Answer: A. Blackbuck

Bagdara Wildlife Sanctuary in Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh was established primarily for the protection of the Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra), one of India's most elegant and fastest antelopes. The sanctuary covers about 478 sq km of mixed forest and grassland habitat ideal for blackbuck herds. Blackbucks are also found in the Sanjay-Dubri area and parts of the Bundelkhand region. The sanctuary is also home to wolves, jackals, leopards, hyenas, and various deer species.

Correct Answer: B. Karera Sanctuary

Karera Wildlife Sanctuary in Shivpuri district was once an important stronghold for the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps), India's heaviest flying bird. However, the sanctuary lost its bustard population and was notified for de-notification in 2004-05, though it remains legally protected. The Great Indian Bustard is critically endangered with fewer than 150 birds remaining in the wild, mostly in Rajasthan's Desert National Park. Ghatigaon Sanctuary in Gwalior district is another MP sanctuary associated with bustard conservation efforts.

Correct Answer: B. Mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris)

The Paisuni Crocodile Reserve on the Paisuni (Ken tributary) River in Panna district is an important habitat for the Mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris). The Mugger is the most common crocodile in India and is found in freshwater rivers, lakes, and marshes across the subcontinent. The Panna region with the Ken River system supports significant populations of mugger crocodiles alongside gharials in some sections. The reserve is part of India's crocodile conservation program launched in the 1970s under the UNDP and FAO.

Correct Answer: C. Vulture Restaurants (safe feeding stations)

Madhya Pradesh was a pioneer in establishing 'Vulture Restaurants' or safe feeding stations, where diclofenac-free carcasses are provided to vultures to prevent accidental poisoning. Diclofenac, a veterinary anti-inflammatory drug banned for livestock use in 2006, was the main cause of the catastrophic 99% decline in Asian vulture populations in the 1990s. The state has set up multiple such feeding stations around its tiger reserves and wildlife areas. These feeding stations are part of the broader 'Gyps Vulture Recovery Plan' for the White-rumped, Long-billed, and Slender-billed vultures.

Correct Answer: B. It allows tiger movement between MP and Chhattisgarh forests

The landscape connectivity between Kanha Tiger Reserve in MP and the Indravati Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh allows for genetic exchange and movement of tigers and other wildlife between these two major reserves. Such corridors are essential for maintaining genetically viable tiger populations and allowing natural recolonization of areas. Wildlife Institute of India has mapped multiple corridors in the central Indian landscape that are crucial for long-term survival of tigers in MP and neighboring states. Maintaining these corridors requires preventing encroachments and minimizing linear infrastructure like roads and railways.

Correct Answer: B. Migratory waterfowl and resident wetland birds

The Bargi Reservoir (Rani Avanti Bai Sagar) on the Narmada River near Jabalpur has created a large wetland that attracts thousands of migratory waterfowl including pelicans, storks, cormorants, herons, and various duck species during winter. The reservoir and its surrounding wetlands support both resident and migratory waterbirds and have been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by Birdlife International. Man-made reservoirs in MP like Bargi, Tawa, and Bansagar have become significant bird habitats. The state conducts regular bird surveys at these wetlands as part of national waterbird monitoring programs.

Correct Answer: B. Narmada and Son rivers

The Amarkantak Wildlife Sanctuary in Anuppur district protects the forested watershed area around Amarkantak, which is the origin of the Narmada River and the Son River. The sanctuary covers about 293 sq km of sal, teak, and mixed forests in the Maikal Hills. The forest cover at Amarkantak is crucial for maintaining the flow of these two major rivers and protecting the biodiversity of this ecologically sensitive area. The sanctuary is part of the larger Kanha-Achanakmar forest landscape and supports various wildlife species.