Consider the following statements with reference to National parks in ...
Explanation:
Statement 1: Odisha has recognized Community Forest Resource (CFR) rights inside Kanger Ghati National Park.
This statement is incorrect. Odisha is not the state where Kanger Ghati National Park is located. Kanger Ghati National Park is located in the state of Chhattisgarh. The recognition of Community Forest Resource (CFR) rights inside national parks is a provision under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. However, there is no specific information available regarding the recognition of CFR rights inside Kanger Ghati National Park.
Statement 2: Hemis National Park is the largest National Park in India.
This statement is correct. Hemis National Park, located in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, is indeed the largest national park in India. It covers an area of about 4,400 square kilometers and is known for its diverse flora and fauna, including the elusive snow leopard.
Statement 3: National parks in India are IUCN category II protected areas.
This statement is correct. National parks in India are indeed classified as IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) category II protected areas. Category II of the IUCN classification includes national parks, which are defined as natural areas of land and/or sea, designated to protect the ecological integrity of one or more ecosystems for present and future generations.
Therefore, out of the given statements, only statement 2 is correct. Hemis National Park is the largest national park in India.
Consider the following statements with reference to National parks in ...
- Kanger Ghati National Park is located in Chattisgarh, not Odisha. The Chhattisgarh government has become the country’s second state to recognize the Community Forest Resource (CFR) after Simlipal in Odisha, rights of a village inside a national park. The CFR rights of tribals living in Gudiyapadar, a hamlet inside the Kanger Ghati National Park in Bastar district, were recognized Wednesday, giving the community power to formulate rules for forest use. According to state government officials, Chhattisgarh has recognized nearly 4,000 CFR rights in the state. So, Statement 1 is not correct.
- Ladakh is home to the Hemis National Park, the largest notified protected area in India or simpler terms, the largest national park in India. Hemis National Park was first established as a national park in 1981, with a total area of approximately 600 sq km. Slowly, the park area increased to a whopping 4,400 sq km, making it the largest national park not only in India but also in the whole of South Asia. Hemis National Park is one of the most important natural habitats for the snow leopard. At present, there are about 200 snow leopards that share this national park with other animal species like the Tibetan wolf, Eurasian brown bear, red fox, Himalayan marmot, Argali or the great Tibetan sheep, Bharal or the blue sheep, Shapu or the Ladakhi wild sheep, and Asiatic ibex to name a few. So, Statement 2 is correct.
- IUCN protected area categories, or IUCN protected area management categories, are categories used to classify protected areas in a system developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This categorization method is recognized on a global scale by national governments and international bodies such as the United Nations and the Convention on Biological Diversity. These categories include:
- Category Ia – Strict nature reserve is an area that is protected from all but light human use in order to protect its biodiversity and also possibly its geological/geomorphic features.
- A wilderness area (IUCN Category Ib) is similar to a strict nature reserve but generally larger and protected in a slightly less stringent manner.
- A National Park (IUCN Category II) is similar to a wilderness area’s size and the main objective of protecting functioning ecosystems. However, national parks tend to be more lenient with human visitation and its supporting infrastructure.
- A natural monument or feature (IUCN Category III) is a comparatively smaller area that is specifically allocated to protect a natural monument and its surrounding habitats. These monuments can be natural in the fullest sense or include elements that have been influenced or introduced by humans.
- A habitat or species management area (IUCN Category IV) is similar to a natural monument or feature. Still, it focuses on more specific areas of conservation (though the size is not necessarily a distinguishing feature), like an identifiable species or habitat that requires continuous protection rather than that of a natural feature. 3⁄
- A protected landscape or protected seascape (IUCN Category V) covers an entire body of land or ocean with an explicit natural conservation plan but usually also accommodates a range of for-profit activities. The main objective is to safeguard regions that have built up a distinct and valuable ecological, biological, cultural, or scenic character.
- Category VI – a protected area with sustainable use of natural resources.
So, Statement 3 is correct.
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