Description

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Context:

Recently, There have been concerns over the state's proposal to build a tribal village near the Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary.

According to the plan, the village will be built in the buffer zone, about 100 metres from the sanctuary. This will increase man-animal wildlife conflicts.

What is the conservation zone?

1. Core Zone:

This is the most protected zone of a wildlife sanctuary or national park.
Here, No human activities are allowed, except for research.
This zone is created to protect endangered species and ecosystems from human disturbance.

2. Buffer Zone:

This is the area surrounding the core zone.
Some human activities like ecotourism or limited farming can happen, but it is controlled so they don’t affect the core zone.
Purpose is to reduce conflicts between humans and wildlife & protect the core zone from outside pressures.

3. Transitional Zone:

This is an area where the core zone & buffer zone meet with human settlements or agricultural land.
Here, Human activities are more common, like farming, villages, or industries.
It helps to manage the impact of human activities on wildlife by providing some space between them & protected areas.

About Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary

Location	It is situated in the Western Ghats in the Kodagu district, Karnataka.
Area	It covers an area of 181 sq. km.
Highest Point	Brahmagiri Peak (1607 meters) is the highest point in the sanctuary.
Rivers	The Lakshmana Tirtha River (origin in the sanctuary) is tributary of the Cauvery River.
Flora	The sanctuary is home to evergreen & semi-evergreen forests, shoal forest in grasslands & bamboo groves.
Surroundings	The sanctuary is bordered by coffee & cardamom plantations.
Fauna	Endangered species: Lion-tailed macaque, which is rare and requires conservation efforts. Other mammals: Tigers, elephants, bonnet macaques, common langurs, barking deer, mouse deer, and Malabar giant squirrel. Additional species: Giant flying squirrel and Indian Gaur also found in the sanctuary, enriching its wildlife diversity.

Source: DH

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Consider the following statements about conservation zones:

The core zone is the most protected area of a wildlife sanctuary or national park, where no human activities are allowed except for research.
The buffer zone surrounds the core zone and allows limited human activities like ecotourism & farming etc.
The transitional zone is where the core and buffer zones meet human settlements or agricultural land, allowing human activities like farming and industries.
The Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Eastern Ghats region of Karnataka.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2, and 3 only
(b) 1 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 3 only

Answer: (a) 1, 2, and 3 only

Explanation:

● Statement 1 is correct: The core zone is the most protected area where human activities are restricted to research only.

● Statement 2 is correct: The buffer zone allows controlled human activities like ecotourism & farming, to minimise their impact on the core zone.

● Statement 3 is correct: The transitional zone is where human activities like farming & settlements are more common. It acts as a buffer between protected areas & human spaces.

● Statement 4 is incorrect: The Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Western Ghats, not the in Eastern Ghats.