Q1. What is a major threat to wildlife from railway infrastructure?
- Sound pollution from trains
- Electrocution by overhead wires
- Collisions with trains in vulnerable patches
- Noise causing sleep disruption in animals
Correct Option: 3. Collisions with trains in vulnerable patches.
Explanation: Many wildlife species, including elephants and leopards, fall victim to train collisions, especially in forest corridors and protected areas. These accidents often happen in areas where railway lines cut across wildlife habitats. The animals, unaware of the danger, use tracks as travel routes. Identifying high-risk zones and improving coordination between forest departments and railways are crucial to mitigating this threat.
Q2. Why are birds more affected by mobile tower radiation than humans?
- Birds live on towers
- Birds eat electromagnetic waves
- Birds have larger surface area relative to their weight and absorb more radiation
- Birds don’t sleep and are always exposed
Correct Option: 3. Birds have larger surface area relative to their weight and absorb more radiation.
Explanation: Birds are more vulnerable to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted from mobile towers because they have a larger surface area in proportion to their body mass. Also, due to their small size and low body water content, their bodies heat up faster when exposed to radiation. EMR can interfere with their internal navigation systems, leading to disorientation, difficulty in migration, and even death.
Q3. What ecological risk is associated with Genetically Engineered (GE) trees?
- They grow slower than traditional trees
- They increase oxygen levels dangerously
- They are too expensive to grow
- Their pollen can contaminate native forests and affect biodiversity
Correct Option: 4. Their pollen can contaminate native forests and affect biodiversity
Explanation: GE trees can pose significant ecological risks because they live much longer than GE crops and are more difficult to monitor. Their pollen can travel vast distances—up to 600 km—and may crossbreed with wild tree species, introducing genetically modified traits into native forests. This genetic contamination can disrupt ecosystems, alter biodiversity, and negatively affect species such as bees and birds that depend on native trees.
Q4. Why did the Indian government ban dolphinariums?
- Dolphins are too expensive to maintain
- Dolphins carry infectious diseases
- Dolphins are intelligent and sensitive; captivity causes them distress
- Dolphins cannot live in salt water
Correct Option: 3. Dolphins are intelligent and sensitive; captivity causes them distress
Explanation: Dolphins are known for their high intelligence, emotional sensitivity, and complex social behavior. Studies show that confining them to small tanks in dolphinariums leads to psychological distress and health problems. Recognizing this, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) banned dolphin captivity in India and declared dolphins as “non-human persons” deserving of special rights, including the right to live free from captivity and harm.
Q5. Which of the following is NOT a proposed solution to prevent wildlife deaths on railway tracks?
- Electronically tagging wild animals
- Installing cameras in train compartments
- Posting forest staff in railway control rooms
- Updating lists of vulnerable patches
Correct Option: 2. Installing cameras in train compartments
Explanation: Installing cameras in train compartments is not related to wildlife conservation or preventing collisions. The actual strategies include electronic tagging of animals (to track movements), deploying forest officials in railway control rooms (to communicate with train operators), and updating the list of accident-prone zones. These help take proactive measures to prevent accidents involving wildlife on train tracks.