NCHMCT JEE 2023 Solved Paper

ComprehensionIndia is home to an estimated $10 \%$ of the global Snow Leopard population spread across five Himalayan states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh which is only 5\% of the available global habitat for the animal.Project Snow Leopard was introduced in India by the Project Snow Leopard Committee instituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, in the year 2009 to safeguard and conserve India's unique natural heritage of high-altitude wildlife populations and their habitats by promoting conservation through participatory policies and actions.Project Tiger and Project Elephant are prevalent in India with the former introduced in 1973 garnering worldwide attention.The Snow Leopard usually occurs at an altitude of > 2700m above sea level and is the apex predator in the Himalayan Region along with the Tibetan Wolf. The project is not only to protect the Snow Leopard, but as with Project Tiger, it is considered an umbrella species and with its protection, comes the protection of other species and the habitat which they are all a part of.Top 3 National Parks in India where the Snow Leopard can likely be seenKibber Wildlife Sanctuary - Himachal PradeshUlley Valley - LadakhHemis National Park - Himachal PradeshThe reasons for introduction of Project Snow Leopard are as follows:(i) High altitudes of India > 3000m including the Himalayan \& Trans-Himalayan biogeographic zones support a unique wildlife assemblage of global conservation.(ii) There has been relatively less attention on the region from the viewpoint of wildlife conservation.(iii) The region represents a vast rangeland system supporting important traditional pastoral economic and lifestyles.(iv) The region provides essential ecosystem services and harbours river systems vital for the nation's food security.(v) India has ratified international agreements promoting the conservation of high-altitude wildlife species such as the snow leopard.(vi) The region is important for the country's national security as well as international relations.(vii) The high-altitude wildlife in India today faces a variety of threats.(viii) The existing high altitude protected areas in India require considerable strengthening.(ix) Wildlife Management in the region needs to be made participatory.