Science & Technology
Biodiversity and Conservation
Biodiversity and Conservation — Quick Revision
One-page CGPSC quick revision for Biodiversity and Conservation — every date, name and fact in tables for last-minute Prelims and Mains revision.
This sheet covers levels of biodiversity, hotspots, in-situ and ex-situ conservation, and the laws behind them. For explanations, read Levels of Biodiversity, Hotspots, In-situ Conservation, Ex-situ Conservation and Conservation Laws and Institutions.
How to use this sheet
Scan top to bottom the week before Prelims. Bold lines are the facts examiners return to most often. Every count carries a date: re-check counts close to the exam.
Timeline / Key Facts
Levels and Values
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Three levels | Genetic (within species), species (between species), ecosystem (habitats) — CBD 1992, Art 2 |
| Rice landraces, wild vs domestic buffalo | Genetic diversity |
| Species diversity | Richness (number) + evenness (distribution) |
| Keystone / flagship / umbrella / indicator | Large impact / public appeal / large area need / signals conditions |
| Ecosystem services (MEA 2005) | Provisioning, regulating, cultural, supporting |
| CG gene bank | IGKV Raipur rice collection (Richharia’s ~19,000 samples of the 1970s, now more than 20,000 accessions) |
Hotspots
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Concept | Norman Myers, 1988; adopted by Conservation International |
| Criteria | ≥1,500 endemic vascular plants AND ≥70% original vegetation lost |
| Number | 36 worldwide (36th: North American Coastal Plain, 2016); about 2.5% of land |
| India’s four | Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Western Ghats–Sri Lanka, Sundaland (Nicobar only) |
| Chhattisgarh | In no hotspot; Deccan Peninsula zone |
| Megadiverse | 17 countries (India one); LMMC: Cancun Declaration 2002 |
| Western Ghats | UNESCO WHS 2012 (39 sites); Gadgil 2011 (whole Ghats); Kasturirangan 2013 (about 37%) |
In-situ: Protected Areas and Reserves
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| WPA PA categories | NP Sec 35; WLS Sec 18; conservation reserve Sec 36A; community reserve Sec 36C (last two: 2002 amendment) |
| PA network (March 2025) | 1,015 PAs: 107 NP, 573 WLS, 115 CR, 220 CoR; about 5.32% of India |
| Project Tiger | 1 April 1973, 9 reserves, Jim Corbett first |
| NTCA / tiger reserve | 2006 amendment; Sec 38L / Sec 38V |
| Tiger reserves (as of 2026) | 58; 56th Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla (CG, Nov 2024); 57th Ratapani; 58th Madhav (MP, Mar 2025) |
| AITE 2022 | Minimum 3,167; average estimate about 3,682; CG: 17 |
| Project Elephant | 1992; 33 elephant reserves in 14 states (as of 2025); merged as Project Tiger and Elephant from 2023–24 |
| Elephant estimate | SAIEE 2021–25 (released 14 Oct 2025): average 22,446 |
| Biosphere reserves (as of 2026) | 18 in India; 13 in UNESCO network (13th Cold Desert, 27 Sept 2025); first Nilgiri 1986 |
| CG biosphere reserve | Achanakmar-Amarkantak: 30 March 2005 (14th); UNESCO 2012; shared with MP |
| Ramsar | 1971; India 1982; first sites Chilika and Keoladeo (1981); 100 in June 2026, 101 reported by Aug 2026 |
| CG Ramsar site | Kopra Reservoir, Bilaspur, 12 Dec 2025 |
| ESZ | Environment (Protection) Act 1986 |
| First Biodiversity Heritage Site | Nallur Tamarind Grove, Karnataka (2007) |
| Species projects | Tiger 1973; Crocodile 1975; Elephant 1992; Snow Leopard 2009; Lion and Dolphin 2020; Cheetah 2022 |
| CG (as of 2026) | 3 NPs, 11 WLS, 4 TRs, 2 ERs (Badalkhol-Tamor Pingla 2011; Lemru, Sec 36A), 1 BR, 1 Ramsar site |
Ex-situ
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Seed bank | Orthodox seeds, about −18 to −20 °C |
| Cryopreservation | Liquid nitrogen, about −196 °C |
| Recalcitrant seeds | Mango, coconut, jackfruit, cocoa (cannot be dried) |
| ICAR bureaux | NBPGR New Delhi (National Genebank); NBAGR Karnal; NBFGR Lucknow; NBAIR Bengaluru; NBAIM Mau |
| Svalbard Global Seed Vault | Norway, 2008 |
| Central Zoo Authority | 1992 (WPA, 1991 amendment) |
| Vultures | Veterinary diclofenac banned 2006; ketoprofen, aceclofenac banned 2023; Jatayu centre, Pinjore (2001, BNHS) |
| Project Cheetah | Extinct 1952 (last shot in Koriya, CG, 1947); Kuno 17 Sept 2022 (8 from Namibia); 12 South Africa (Feb 2023); Gandhi Sagar (Apr 2025); 9 Botswana (early 2026) |
| CG ex-situ | Nandanvan Jungle Safari, Nava Raipur (1 Nov 2016); Kanan Pendari (Bilaspur); Maitri Bagh (Bhilai); Barnawapara wild buffalo from Manas (Apr 2020) |
Laws and Institutions
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| 42nd Amendment, 1976 | Art 48A, Art 51A(g); forests and wildlife to Concurrent List |
| WPA 1972 amendments | 1991 CZA; 2002 NBWL (PM chairs) + CR/CoR; 2006 NTCA + WCCB; 2022 four Schedules + CITES |
| WPA 2022 | In force 1 April 2023; Sch I/II animals, III plants, IV CITES; vermin Schedule removed (Sec 62) |
| BDA 2002 | NBA Chennai (2003) → SBB → BMC (PBRs); ABS; BHS Sec 37 |
| BDA 2023 amendment | In force 1 April 2024; decriminalised (₹1 lakh–₹50 lakh); AYUSH and growers exempt; foreign-controlled firms need NBA approval |
| CBD | 1992; India ratified 1994; Cartagena 2000 (biosafety); Nagoya 2010 (ABS) |
| KM-GBF | Dec 2022, Montreal; 23 targets; Target 3 = 30x30 |
| India’s NBSAP | 30 Oct 2024, COP16 Cali; 23 national targets |
| Forest law | FCA 1980 renamed Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam (2023 amendment); FRA 2006; PESA 1996 |
Don’t Confuse
| This | vs | That |
|---|---|---|
| Genetic diversity (within species) | Species diversity (between species) | |
| Hotspot (endemism + 70% loss) | Megadiverse country (richness only) | |
| Sundaland in India: Nicobar | Indo-Burma in India: North-East | |
| National park (Sec 35, no rights) | Sanctuary (Sec 18, regulated rights) | |
| Conservation reserve (govt land, 36A) | Community reserve (community/private land, 36C) | |
| Biosphere reserve: UNESCO MAB programme | Ramsar site: Convention | |
| Elephant reserve: management unit | Tiger reserve: statutory (NTCA) | |
| Critical Tiger Habitat (WPA) | Critical Wildlife Habitat (FRA) | |
| In-situ: sacred groves, BRs, NPs | Ex-situ: zoos, gardens, seed banks, cryobanks | |
| Seed bank −18 °C | Cryobank −196 °C | |
| NBA Chennai (BDA) | NBPGR New Delhi (gene bank) | |
| WPA amendment in force 1 Apr 2023 | BDA amendment in force 1 Apr 2024 | |
| Kuno (cheetah site 1) | Gandhi Sagar (site 2) | |
| Barnawapara: translocated buffaloes | Udanti / Indravati: native herds |
Favourite MCQ traps
- “India has three hotspots” — it has four (Sundaland via Nicobar).
- “Chhattisgarh is in a hotspot” — it is in none.
- “The WPA has six Schedules” — four since 1 April 2023.
- “Biosphere reserves are under a convention” — UNESCO MAB is a programme.
- Undated counts — tiger reserves 58, BRs 18 (13 UNESCO), Ramsar 100+ (all as of 2026).
- “Asiatic cheetahs in Kuno” — they are African cheetahs.
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