Class 10 Social Science Chapter 7 Forest and Wildlife Resources (Geography) Practice Paper 3

Class: X Subject: Science Session: 2025-26 Chapter: 02 - Forest and Wildlife Resources Time: 1½ Hours Max. Marks: 40

General Instructions:

1. All questions are compulsory.

2. This question paper contains 20 questions divided into five sections A, B, C, D and E.

3. Section A contains 10 MCQs of 1 mark each.

4. Section B contains 4 questions of 2 marks each.

5. Section C contains 3 questions of 3 marks each.

6. Section D contains 1 question of 5 marks.

7. Section E contains 2 Case Study Based questions of 4 marks each.

SECTION A - Multiple Choice Questions (1 mark each)

Q1. Which animals are commonly seen around Bishnoi villages in Rajasthan?
(a) Tigers and leopards
(b) Elephants and rhinos
(c) Blackbuck, nilgai, and peacocks
(d) Lions and cheetahs

Q2. The tribals of Odisha and Bihar worship which trees during weddings?
(a) Peepal and banyan
(b) Tamarind and mango
(c) Mahua and kadamba
(d) Neem and sal

Q3. Manas Tiger Reserve is located in:
(a) West Bengal
(b) Assam
(c) Arunachal Pradesh
(d) Meghalaya

Q4. What percentage of its total forest area does Madhya Pradesh have under permanent forests?
(a) 50%
(b) 60%
(c) 70%
(d) 75%

Q5. Which conservation strategy does NOT directly involve community participation?
(a) Chipko Movement
(b) Demarcation of Wildlife sanctuaries
(c) Joint Forest Management
(d) Beej Bachao Andolan

Q6. Navdanya is associated with:
(a) Wildlife protection
(b) Organic farming and seed conservation
(c) Water conservation
(d) Plantation drives

Q7. The scientific name of mahua tree is:
(a) Mangifera indica
(b) Bassia latifolia
(c) Tamarindus indica
(d) Anthocaphalus cadamba

Q8. Which animal is also known as 'chinkara'?
(a) Snow leopard
(b) Black buck
(c) Kashmir stag
(d) Indian elephant

Q9. The great Indian bustard is also called:
(a) Hangul
(b) Chinkara
(c) Godawan
(d) Gharial

Q10. Which of the following countries provides habitat to about two-thirds of surviving tiger population?
(a) India and China
(b) India and Nepal
(c) India and Bangladesh
(d) India and Bhutan

SECTION B - Short Answer Questions (2 marks each)

Q11. What is meant by 'ecological diversity'? Why is it important to preserve it?

Q12. List any four animals that have been given full or partial legal protection in India.

Q13. How did villagers in Sariska Tiger Reserve demonstrate conservation efforts?

Q14. Why was there a demand for national wildlife protection programme in the 1960s and 1970s?

SECTION C - Short Answer Questions (3 marks each)

Q15. Explain the concept of nature worship and its role in biodiversity conservation with examples.

Q16. Why is India considered one of the world's richest countries in terms of biological diversity? Explain with examples.

Q17. Describe any three major threats that led to the decline in tiger population in India.

SECTION D - Long Answer Question (5 marks)

Q18. "We humans are only a part of the complex web of ecological system and are very much dependent on it for our own existence." Explain this statement with reference to the role of forests in maintaining life support systems.

SECTION E - Case Study Based Questions (4 marks each)

Q19. Case Study 1: Indian society comprises several cultures, each with its own set of traditional methods of conserving nature and its creations. Sacred qualities are often ascribed to springs, mountain peaks, plants and animals which are closely protected. You will find troops of macaques and langurs around many temples. They are fed daily and treated as a part of temple devotees.
(a) What role do cultural beliefs play in conservation? (1 mark)
(b) Give two examples of nature worship from Indian traditions. (2 marks)
(c) Why are macaques and langurs protected around temples? (1 mark)

Q20. Case Study 2: In Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, villagers have fought against mining by citing the Wildlife Protection Act. In many areas, villagers themselves are protecting habitats and explicitly rejecting government involvement. The inhabitants of five villages in the Alwar district of Rajasthan have declared 1,200 hectares of forest as the Bhairodev Dakav 'Sonchuri', declaring their own set of rules and regulations which do not allow hunting.
(a) How did Sariska villagers use the Wildlife Protection Act? (1 mark)
(b) What is Bhairodev Dakav 'Sonchuri'? (2 marks)
(c) Why is community-led conservation important? (1 mark) DETAILED ANSWER KEY - PAPER 03

SECTION A - Answers to MCQs

Ans 1.
(c) Blackbuck, nilgai, and peacocks In and around Bishnoi villages in Rajasthan, herds of blackbuck (chinkara), nilgai, and peacocks can be seen as an integral part of the community. Ans 2.
(b) Tamarind and mango The tribals of Odisha and Bihar worship the tamarind (Tamarindus indica) and mango (Mangifera indica) trees during weddings. Ans 3.
(b) Assam Manas Tiger Reserve is one of the important tiger reserves located in the state of Assam. Ans 4.
(d) 75% Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under permanent forests, constituting 75 per cent of its total forest area.

Ans 5.
(b) Demarcation of Wildlife sanctuaries Demarcation of Wildlife sanctuaries is typically done by government authorities without direct community participation, unlike Chipko Movement, JFM, and Beej Bachao Andolan. Ans 6.
(b) Organic farming and seed conservation Navdanya is a farmers' and citizens' group that promotes diversified crop production without synthetic chemicals and focuses on seed conservation. Ans 7.
(b) Bassia latifolia The scientific name of mahua tree is Bassia latifolia, which is worshipped by Mundas and Santhal communities.

Ans 8.
(b) Black buck Black buck is also known as 'chinkara' and has been given full or partial legal protection against hunting and trade. Ans 9.
(c) Godawan The great Indian bustard is also called 'godawan' and is one of the recently protected species. Ans 10.
(b) India and Nepal India and Nepal provide habitat to about two-thirds of the surviving tiger population in the world, making them prime targets for conservation efforts.

SECTION B - Answers to Short Answer Questions

Ans 11. Ecological diversity refers to the variety of ecosystems and habitats, along with the species that live in them and their interactions. Importance: Preserving ecological diversity is essential because it maintains our life support systems - water, air, and soil. Without diverse ecosystems, we cannot survive as these systems provide essential services like clean air, water purification, and food production. Ans 12. Four animals given full or partial legal protection in India are: (i) Tiger (ii) One-horned rhinoceros (iii) Indian elephant (iv) Snow leopard (Other acceptable answers: Kashmir stag/hangul, black buck/chinkara, great Indian bustard/godawan, Asiatic lion, crocodiles, gharial) Ans 13.

In Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, villagers fought against mining activities by citing the Wildlife Protection Act. They recognized that protecting habitats was essential for their own long-term livelihood and took legal action to prevent environmental destruction. Ans 14. In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a rapid decline in wildlife population and forestry due to hunting, habitat destruction, and illegal trade. Conservationists realized that without immediate action, many species would become extinct. This urgent need led to the demand for a comprehensive national wildlife protection programme.

SECTION C - Answers to Short Answer Questions

Ans 15. Nature worship is an age-old tribal belief based on the premise that all creations of nature have to be protected. This belief system has played a crucial role in biodiversity conservation. Examples:

1. Sacred Groves: Patches of forest preserved as forests of Gods and Goddesses, where any interference is banned

2. Tree worship: Certain communities revere specific trees - Mundas and Santhal worship mahua and kadamba trees; peepal and banyan are considered sacred by many

3. Animal protection: Macaques and langurs around temples are fed daily and protected as part of religious devotion Ans 16. India is one of the world's richest countries in biological diversity due to several factors:

1. Vast array of species: India has a wide range of life forms from micro-organisms and bacteria to large mammals like elephants and blue whales

2. Varied ecosystems: From Himalayan mountains to coastal areas, deserts to rainforests, providing diverse habitats

3. Undiscovered species: The known biodiversity is possibly two or three times less than what exists, indicating enormous potential Examples: Unique species of lichens, banyan trees, various endemic plants and animals found nowhere else in the world Ans 17. Three major threats that led to decline in tiger population:

1. Poaching for trade: Tigers were killed for their skins and bones used in traditional medicines, especially in Asian countries. This illegal trade brought tigers to the verge of extinction

2. Shrinking habitat: Deforestation and human encroachment reduced the forest areas where tigers could live, fragmenting their populations

3. Depletion of prey base: Reduction in the population of deer, wild boar, and other prey species meant tigers had insufficient food, affecting their survival and reproduction

SECTION D - Answer to Long Answer Question

Ans 18. This statement emphasizes that humans are not separate from nature but are integral parts of the ecological system. Our survival is completely dependent on this complex web:

1. BIODIVERSITY INTERDEPENDENCE: We share the planet with millions of living beings - from micro-organisms to blue whales. All these organisms form an interconnected web where each species plays a role. Humans depend on this entire system for survival.

2. ROLE OF FORESTS AS PRIMARY PRODUCERS: Forests are primary producers on which all other living beings depend. They form the base of the food chain and energy flow in ecosystems.

3. LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS: Air Quality: Plants, animals, and micro-organisms re-create the quality of air we breathe through photosynthesis and gas exchange Water Purification: Forests maintain the water cycle and purify the water we drink through natural filtration Soil Formation: Organisms create and maintain soil fertility that produces our food through decomposition and nutrient cycling

4. ECOSYSTEM SERVICES: Forests regulate climate, prevent soil erosion, maintain watershed health, and provide countless products we use daily. Conclusion: Without forests and biodiversity, life support systems would collapse, making human survival impossible. We must recognize our dependence and work towards conservation for our own existence.

SECTION E - Answers to Case Study Based Questions

Ans 19.
(a) Cultural beliefs play a crucial role in conservation by creating a spiritual and emotional connection with nature. When communities consider certain elements of nature as sacred, they naturally protect them, ensuring long-term conservation without need for external enforcement.
(b) Two examples of nature worship from Indian traditions:

1. Sacred trees: Peepal and banyan trees are considered sacred by many communities and are protected and worshipped

2. Sacred animals: Troops of macaques and langurs around temples are fed daily and treated as part of temple devotees, ensuring their protection
(c) Macaques and langurs are protected around temples because they are treated as a part of temple devotees due to religious beliefs. They are fed daily and considered sacred, demonstrating how cultural practices contribute to wildlife conservation. Ans 20.
(a) Sariska villagers used the Wildlife Protection Act to fight against mining activities. They cited this legal framework to prevent environmental destruction, showing how communities can use laws to protect habitats.

(b) Bhairodev Dakav 'Sonchuri' is a 1,200-hectare forest area declared as protected by inhabitants of five villages in Alwar district, Rajasthan. They established their own set of rules and regulations that do not allow hunting and protect wildlife against any outside encroachments. This demonstrates community-led conservation without government involvement.
(c) Community-led conservation is important because local communities have: • Intimate knowledge of local ecosystems and species • Direct interest in long-term sustainability for their livelihoods • Cultural and traditional practices that support conservation • Ability to monitor and protect areas more effectively than distant authorities